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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. craft — a skill
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. mug — to rob
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. band — a ring
  9. object — to protest
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. mug — a cup
  12. fine — high quality
  13. stock — goods
  14. band — a music group
  15. wake — a trail
  16. fine — all right
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. craft — boats
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a car

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