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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
468
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: pop · craft · track · fine · wake · game · calf · scale

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pop — music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. craft — boats
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. scale — size or range
  10. track — to keep track
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fine — high quality
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pop — to visit
  17. game — wild animals
  18. track — a song
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. game — a match
  22. scale — in music
  23. wake — a trail
  24. track — a path

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