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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: bass · pit · craft · wake · track · stick · calf · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. track — a song
  5. pit — a hole
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bass — the fish
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. track — a path
  15. craft — a skill
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pit — in a race
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bass — low music
  23. craft — boats
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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