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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.

Make a worksheet

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: track · wake · craft · spell · racket · temple · spring · stick

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. track — a path
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. spell — magic
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. spell — letters
  14. spring — of water
  15. track — to keep track
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. craft — boats
  18. spring — a coil
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. track — a song
  22. spring — the season
  23. spell — a short time
  24. temple — a place of worship

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