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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: stem · race · suit · bay · net · stick · craft · track

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a song
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. race — humankind
  5. track — a path
  6. net — after costs
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. race — a contest
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. suit — in cards
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. race — the arms race
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — for catching
  18. suit — to fit
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bay — a horse colour

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