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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 116 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: cabinet · rash · wave · craft · mark · track · spring · chair

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. spring — the season
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. spring — of water
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. mark — a grade
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. spring — a coil
  12. track — a song
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. track — a path
  19. mark — a trace
  20. rash — a series
  21. track — to keep track
  22. craft — boats
  23. rash — hasty
  24. chair — a leader

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