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

Word bank: toast · rule · track · craft · bear · leaves · bay · chip

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. craft — boats
  3. track — a song
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bear — the animal
  7. chip — for betting
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. rule — a law
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. track — a path
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. rule — government
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bear — the animal
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — bread
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. chip — to eat
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. craft — a skill

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