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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. stock — shares
  3. mug — to rob
  4. craft — a skill
  5. swing — to play on
  6. mug — a face
  7. swing — in golf
  8. track — to keep track
  9. current — happening now
  10. swing — music
  11. current — electric
  12. mate — to breed
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. track — a song
  16. mate — a friend
  17. lean — to bend
  18. mate — a partner
  19. current — of water
  20. track — a path
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. lean — thin
  23. mug — a cup
  24. lean — to rest against

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