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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: file · track · mug · board · pound · pop · craft · rush

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. craft — boats
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pop — to visit
  5. mug — a face
  6. board — to get on
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. rush — hurry
  10. track — a song
  11. mug — a cup
  12. track — to keep track
  13. board — a committee
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. pop — soda
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. mug — to rob
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. track — a path
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pop — music
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — a 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