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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: temple · wake · capital · craft · straw · track · rash · season

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. track — to keep track
  3. craft — boats
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — a series
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. track — a song
  10. rash — hasty
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — a trail
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. season — in sport
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. season — of the year
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. capital — a city
  20. track — a path
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. capital — money
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. season — to add flavour

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