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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pass — a permit
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. track — a song
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. track — to keep track
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. root — of a plant
  11. track — a path
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — a thing
  14. chip — for betting
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. craft — a skill
  18. chip — to eat
  19. root — the cause
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. root — of a word
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. object — to protest
  24. mouse — for a computer

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