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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. present — the time now
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. row — to paddle
  6. content — the amount
  7. roll — a cake
  8. track — to keep track
  9. row — a line
  10. suit — clothes
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. track — a song
  14. content — happy
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. suit — in cards
  17. stock — shares
  18. suit — to fit
  19. craft — boats
  20. stock — goods
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. craft — a skill
  24. roll — a list

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