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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 · fork · ball · hand · leaves · track · pound · race

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. race — the arms race
  3. fork — in a road
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — a weight
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. craft — a skill
  10. track — a song
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — in cards
  13. ball — a dance
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. ball — a great time
  17. hand — help
  18. track — to keep track
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. craft — boats
  21. race — humankind
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. race — a contest
  24. leaves — lets stay

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