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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: pound · hand · rock · track · craft · chair · key · pit

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. track — a path
  3. craft — boats
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pit — in a race
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. chair — a leader
  12. track — a song
  13. craft — a skill
  14. key — the most important part
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. hand — help
  18. rock — a stone
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. track — to keep track
  21. rock — music
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. pit — a hole

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