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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wake — a trail
  3. suit — in cards
  4. roll — a list
  5. craft — boats
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rock — music
  8. stock — shares
  9. rock — a stone
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. craft — a skill
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stock — goods
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. roll — a cake
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. racket — for tennis

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