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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 · sharp · safe · face · coach · spell · racket

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — a short time
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. track — to keep track
  9. craft — boats
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. track — a path
  12. spell — letters
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. face — to point toward
  15. sharp — clever
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. face — part of the head
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. track — a song
  22. face — to confront
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. safe — a strongbox

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