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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: wake · perch · bore · band · hand · arm · craft · track

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. track — a song
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. hand — in cards
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. hand — help
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. band — a music group
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. perch — the fish
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. craft — boats
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bore — to tire
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. craft — a skill
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bore — to drill
  23. track — a path
  24. band — a ring

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