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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: craft · mouse · ground · bore · lie · track · wave · coach

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ground — a position
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. lie — to recline
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. ground — crushed
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. track — to keep track
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. craft — boats
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ground — the earth
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bore — to drill
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. track — a song
  21. bore — to tire
  22. track — a path
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bore — gave birth

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