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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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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: deal · craft · bay · net · present · foot · stock · track

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. present — there
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. craft — boats
  8. net — after costs
  9. stock — goods
  10. track — to keep track
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. net — in sport
  15. foot — a measure
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. net — for catching
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. track — a song
  20. track — a path
  21. present — a gift
  22. stock — shares
  23. craft — a skill
  24. present — the time now

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