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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: firm · track · fork · pound · coach · ruler

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. firm — steady
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. track — a song
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. track — a path
  8. pound — a weight
  9. firm — a company
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. track — to keep track
  12. fork — in a road
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. firm — decided
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. coach — pulled by horses

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