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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: saw · squash · racket · stand · mark · craft · rock · track

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. craft — boats
  8. track — a song
  9. track — to keep track
  10. squash — the sport
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. squash — to crush
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. track — a path
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. saw — the tool

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