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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 120 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: craft · fan · track · season · kick · ball · wound · wake

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wound — an injury
  9. craft — boats
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. track — a song
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ball — a great time
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. track — a path
  18. ball — a dance
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — in football
  21. wound — an injury
  22. track — to keep track
  23. season — of the year
  24. season — in sport

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