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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
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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: board · craft · firm · pit · bowl · roll · wake · track

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. firm — steady
  7. track — a song
  8. board — a committee
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. roll — a cake
  11. track — a path
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. roll — a list
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. firm — a company
  19. board — to get on
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. track — to keep track
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. firm — decided

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