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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. charge — a price
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. field — for sport
  5. suit — to fit
  6. field — farmland
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. charge — in control
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. craft — boats
  15. track — a song
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. field — a subject
  19. track — a path
  20. charge — electricity
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fine — all right
  23. track — to keep track
  24. pound — for dogs

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