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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: deal · track · tear · coach · spell · rash · fan · saw

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. saw — the tool
  5. spell — letters
  6. track — a path
  7. spell — a short time
  8. saw — the tool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. tear — from crying
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. spell — magic
  13. tear — to rip
  14. rash — hasty
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. track — a song
  18. rash — a series
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. tear — from crying
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. track — to keep track
  24. deal — an agreement

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