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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: capital · safe · pound · court · ball · craft · track · ruler

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. track — a path
  4. pound — a weight
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. ball — a great time
  11. capital — money
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. ball — a dance
  15. court — of law
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. court — for sport
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. track — a song
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. court — of a king
  23. craft — boats
  24. track — to keep track

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