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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: mate · bay · track · stand · capital · object · craft · stick

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  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. capital — a big letter
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. track — a path
  4. craft — boats
  5. mate — a friend
  6. object — an aim
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mate — a partner
  10. object — to protest
  11. track — to keep track
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. craft — a skill
  18. track — a song
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a city
  21. mate — to breed
  22. object — a thing
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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