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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
468
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: craft · track · rash · bank · bear · spell · snap · bark

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — a short time
  4. rash — hasty
  5. track — a song
  6. craft — boats
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bank — of a river
  9. track — a path
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. rash — a series
  12. bank — for money
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. track — to keep track
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bank — for money
  23. snap — to click
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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