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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. track — a path
  5. can — a tin
  6. track — to keep track
  7. can — to be able to
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bank — for money
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — a container
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. can — a tin
  14. craft — a skill
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. chest — a box
  17. bank — for money
  18. chest — of your body
  19. craft — boats
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. track — a song
  22. bank — of a river
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. craft — a handicraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com