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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. craft — boats
  3. track — a song
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wound — an injury
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wound — an injury
  11. track — to keep track
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. prune — to trim
  19. suit — clothes
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — music
  22. suit — to fit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stand — to bear

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