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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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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: drill · deal · craft · vault · racket · track

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. craft — a skill
  3. track — a path
  4. track — a song
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. craft — boats
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. deal — to handle
  10. track — to keep track
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. drill — a practice
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. vault — a safe
  16. drill — army training
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. deal — an agreement

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