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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: stand · rush · craft · track · mouse · saw · kick · club

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. track — a path
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. rush — hurry
  5. craft — boats
  6. kick — in football
  7. club — for golf
  8. club — a group
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. craft — a skill
  14. track — to keep track
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. track — a song
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. stand — on your feet

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