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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: craft · track · mug · pound · march · fork · ruler · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. track — to keep track
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. craft — a skill
  5. track — a path
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — to rob
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. march — music
  11. craft — boats
  12. track — a song
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pound — a weight
  18. mug — a face
  19. march — the month
  20. march — the month
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. calf — a young animal

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