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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. suit — clothes
  4. track — a song
  5. pit — a hole
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pit — in a race
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bore — to tire
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. track — to keep track
  14. mark — a trace
  15. fork — in a road
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — the time now
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. present — there
  20. bore — to drill
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. mark — a grade
  24. track — a path

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