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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
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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: board · mark · craft · leaves · plane · snap · track · field

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. track — a song
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. track — to keep track
  7. mark — a trace
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. field — for sport
  10. craft — boats
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. track — a path
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. mark — a grade
  15. snap — to click
  16. field — farmland
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. field — a subject
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. board — a committee
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. board — to get on
  23. plane — a tool
  24. leaves — of a tree

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