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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: rash · pop · vault · track · mouse · jam · craft · tear

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — music
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. tear — from crying
  5. track — a path
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. track — a song
  8. pop — to visit
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rash — hasty
  11. craft — boats
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. craft — a skill
  16. rash — a series
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. track — to keep track
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. tear — to rip
  23. tear — from crying
  24. vault — a safe

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