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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: rule · pit · wave · track · craft · wake · rock · club

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rule — a law
  3. pit — in a race
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. track — to keep track
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rule — government
  11. club — for dancing
  12. track — a song
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. track — a path
  15. rock — a stone
  16. club — a group
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. rock — music
  22. club — for golf
  23. craft — boats
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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