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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: safe · pit · saw · can · track · foot · craft · wind

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  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. craft — a skill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. track — to keep track
  4. craft — boats
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. wind — moving air
  7. can — a tin
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. can — a tin
  10. foot — a measure
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pit — in a race
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. pit — a hole
  21. can — to be able to
  22. wind — moving air
  23. track — a song
  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