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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: track · fan · trunk · scale · pass · craft · game · perch

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. track — a song
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. track — to keep track
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. scale — in music
  9. track — a path
  10. game — a match
  11. craft — boats
  12. perch — the fish
  13. game — wild animals
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. craft — a skill
  16. pass — a permit
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. scale — size or range

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