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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 120 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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. craft — boats
  4. scale — in music
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a committee
  10. craft — a skill
  11. mark — a grade
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. scale — size or range
  14. dip — to sink
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. stock — shares
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. stock — goods
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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