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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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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: craft · toast · bass · rock · ball · rash · track · nail

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. rock — a stone
  3. craft — boats
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. rash — a series
  7. track — a song
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. rock — music
  10. toast — bread
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. track — to keep track
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rash — hasty
  17. ball — a great time
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the fish
  22. ball — a dance
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. track — a path

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