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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rock · march · fine · safe · craft · mine · cue · track

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rock — music
  3. mine — for digging
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a song
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. march — the month
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. march — the month
  12. fine — all right
  13. craft — a skill
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. track — a path
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. march — music
  18. rock — a stone
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. cue — a signal
  21. craft — boats
  22. cue — for pool
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. fine — high quality

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