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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · cue · band · nail · craft · file · mark · arm

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. craft — a skill
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. file — a tool
  6. craft — boats
  7. track — a song
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. file — a line of people
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. track — to keep track
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cue — a signal
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. band — a music group
  17. file — a document
  18. band — a ring
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. cue — for pool
  22. track — a path
  23. mark — a trace
  24. nail — on a finger

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