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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: net · coach · bulb · craft · scale · saw · mark · track

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mark — a grade
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a skill
  10. net — in sport
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. mark — a trace
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. track — a song
  16. track — to keep track
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. scale — size or range
  19. net — after costs
  20. scale — in music
  21. net — for catching
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. track — a path
  24. bulb — for light

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