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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
468
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: track · wave · craft · row · jam · sharp · bark · racket

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. row — to paddle
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. craft — a skill
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. sharp — clever
  11. craft — boats
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. row — a line
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. track — a path
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. bark — to shout
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. wave — with your hand

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