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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 116 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: club · track · net · craft · plane · trunk

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. net — after costs
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — a group
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. craft — boats
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. net — in sport
  10. plane — a tool
  11. net — for catching
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. club — for dancing

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