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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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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 · safe · jam · swing · craft · rest · march · trunk

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. swing — to play on
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. rest — what's left
  11. march — the month
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. track — a song
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. track — a path
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. track — to keep track
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — music
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. craft — boats

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