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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: rest · cue · calf · capital · wake · track · craft · rock

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rest — what's left
  4. cue — for pool
  5. capital — money
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. track — a path
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. cue — a hint
  10. craft — boats
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. craft — a skill
  13. track — a song
  14. cue — a signal
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. rock — music
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. wake — a trail
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. rock — a stone
  23. capital — a city
  24. craft — a handicraft

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