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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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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 · stand · pound · track · snap · land · suit · bass

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. track — a path
  5. suit — in cards
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. land — ground
  10. snap — to click
  11. fork — in a road
  12. land — to come down
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. track — to keep track
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. land — a country
  22. pound — a weight
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. fork — a garden tool

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