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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: pass · track · tear · craft · stock · club · key · spell

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. spell — a short time
  3. tear — to rip
  4. spell — magic
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — shares
  7. track — a path
  8. stock — goods
  9. club — for dancing
  10. track — to keep track
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. pass — a permit
  16. tear — from crying
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. spell — letters
  20. craft — a skill
  21. key — for a lock
  22. club — a group
  23. track — a song
  24. club — for golf

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