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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: pop · craft · wave · trunk · mark · can · track · deal

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. craft — a skill
  3. can — to be able to
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. can — a tin
  6. pop — music
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mark — a trace
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. pop — soda
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. track — a path
  17. track — a song
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. track — to keep track
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. pop — to visit
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. mark — a grade
  24. craft — boats

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