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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mine · present · stand · rock · suit · wake · track · craft

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. mine — for digging
  6. craft — boats
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. suit — in cards
  9. present — the time now
  10. stand — to bear
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. present — there
  13. track — a song
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. wake — a trail
  18. present — a gift
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. track — to keep track
  21. suit — to fit
  22. craft — a skill
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. track — a path

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