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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. craft — boats
  3. fork — in a road
  4. swing — in golf
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. file — a tool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. stand — to bear
  12. pound — a weight
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bass — low music
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bass — the fish
  19. swing — to play on
  20. file — a document
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. swing — music
  24. pound — to hit hard

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