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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: ground · dip · race · craft · track · leaves · chest · bank

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. track — a song
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. track — a path
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. ground — crushed
  7. craft — a skill
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bank — for money
  10. race — the arms race
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — the earth
  14. chest — a box
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. track — to keep track
  18. craft — boats
  19. race — humankind
  20. chest — of your body
  21. race — a contest
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. leaves — to go away

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