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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 · jam · rush · spell · mark · race · wake · craft

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. wake — a trail
  3. mark — a grade
  4. race — the arms race
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. craft — a skill
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. craft — boats
  9. race — humankind
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. spell — magic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. mark — a trace
  16. spell — letters
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. race — a contest
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. jam — in traffic

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