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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.

Words on the sheet
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: coach · stick · capital · track · pass · ball · can · fork

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. capital — a city
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. can — to be able to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. fork — in a road
  10. pass — a permit
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. can — a tin
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. can — a tin
  22. capital — money
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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