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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. track — to keep track
  3. land — ground
  4. land — to come down
  5. content — happy
  6. craft — boats
  7. track — a path
  8. craft — a skill
  9. root — of a word
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. content — the amount
  15. land — a country
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. track — a song
  19. root — the cause
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. branch — a division
  22. root — of a plant
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. branch — of a bank

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