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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 120 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 · root · net · craft · fork · file · pound · mug

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. file — a document
  6. file — a tool
  7. pound — a weight
  8. firm — a company
  9. net — for catching
  10. root — of a plant
  11. net — after costs
  12. firm — decided
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. mug — a face
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a skill
  19. root — of a word
  20. net — in sport
  21. file — a line of people
  22. firm — steady
  23. root — the cause
  24. fork — to eat with

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