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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. present — a gift
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bear — the animal
  9. present — the time now
  10. bat — the animal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. suit — to fit
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. present — there
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. track — a song
  20. suit — in cards
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. nail — on a finger

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