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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. rock — music
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. track — a path
  5. bass — low music
  6. stock — shares
  7. content — the amount
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. content — happy
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. rock — a stone
  13. wake — a trail
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. craft — boats
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bass — the fish
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. track — a song
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. stock — goods

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