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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: suit · track · wind · rush · wake · perch · mouse · craft

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. track — a path
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — moving air
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. craft — a skill
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. rush — hurry
  21. track — a song
  22. track — to keep track
  23. perch — the fish
  24. suit — clothes

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