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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 116 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. track — a path
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. track — to keep track
  7. chip — for betting
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. stock — goods
  12. row — a line
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. chip — to eat
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. row — to paddle
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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