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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: patient · key · track · pop · craft · object · pound · stick

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. track — to keep track
  4. pop — to visit
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. object — to protest
  9. pop — music
  10. key — for a lock
  11. craft — a skill
  12. pop — soda
  13. track — a song
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. key — in music
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. craft — boats
  19. pound — a weight
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. key — the most important part
  22. track — a path
  23. object — a thing
  24. craft — a handicraft

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