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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 · wind · track · squash · row · stick · bowl · bulb

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. track — to keep track
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. row — a line
  6. craft — a skill
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. row — to paddle
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. squash — to crush
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. track — a path
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. craft — boats
  20. squash — the sport
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. track — a song
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bowl — to roll

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