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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: calf · deal · tube · craft · temple · track · drill · snap

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. drill — army training
  3. tube — a container
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. snap — to click
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. craft — boats
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — a practice
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. deal — to handle
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. tube — the underground

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