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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: track · field · key · mark · cap · cue · craft · lean

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. mark — a grade
  4. craft — boats
  5. track — a path
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. cap — of ice
  8. track — a song
  9. key — for a lock
  10. track — to keep track
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cue — a hint
  13. lean — thin
  14. field — a subject
  15. craft — a skill
  16. cue — a signal
  17. field — for sport
  18. cap — a lid
  19. lean — to bend
  20. key — in music
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. field — farmland
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mark — a trace

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