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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: fall · saw · track · craft · land · suit · trunk · mark

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. track — to keep track
  3. suit — to fit
  4. track — a path
  5. land — ground
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fall — the season
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. fall — to drop
  10. craft — a skill
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. land — to come down
  14. mark — a grade
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. craft — boats
  17. saw — the tool
  18. land — a country
  19. track — a song
  20. mark — a trace
  21. suit — clothes
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. fall — to drop

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