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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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 song
  2. craft — boats
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. craft — a skill
  10. fall — the season
  11. bass — the fish
  12. fork — in a road
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bass — low music
  16. fall — to drop
  17. track — a path
  18. fall — to drop
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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