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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: safe · squash · track · spell · scale · fan · craft · bank

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. spell — letters
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bank — of a river
  6. squash — to crush
  7. track — to keep track
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. track — a path
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. craft — a skill
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. craft — boats
  17. scale — in music
  18. spell — magic
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. spell — a short time
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. squash — the sport
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. track — a song

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