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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: fork · track · firm · drill · pound · staff · leaves · wake

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. staff — employees
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. pound — a weight
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. track — to keep track
  9. wake — a trail
  10. firm — steady
  11. track — a song
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. drill — the tool
  14. firm — decided
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. firm — a company
  17. staff — employees
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. drill — a practice
  22. drill — army training
  23. staff — a stick
  24. track — a path

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