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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: craft · kid · ruler · rush · wake · rest · track · coach

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. track — to keep track
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. track — a song
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wake — a trail
  7. track — a path
  8. craft — a skill
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. craft — boats
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rest — a break
  14. kid — to tease
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — hurry
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rest — what's left
  21. kid — child
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rush — a thrill

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