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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. band — a ring
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. band — a music group
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wake — a trail
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stock — goods
  12. club — for dancing
  13. present — the time now
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. present — there
  17. craft — boats
  18. present — a gift
  19. club — a group
  20. craft — a skill
  21. club — for golf
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stock — shares

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