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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: key · current · race · rash · track · band · wax · craft

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rash — hasty
  5. craft — boats
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. wax — to grow
  8. track — a path
  9. race — a contest
  10. current — of water
  11. race — the arms race
  12. band — a music group
  13. key — the most important part
  14. current — happening now
  15. race — humankind
  16. key — in music
  17. track — to keep track
  18. current — electric
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. track — a song
  22. band — a ring
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. craft — a skill

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