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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: stock · craft · patient · track · lie · safe · rule · trunk

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lie — to recline
  3. track — a path
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. track — to keep track
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stock — goods
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — government
  12. craft — a skill
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. stock — shares
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. track — a song
  24. craft — boats

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