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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 116 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 · mark · pass · track · chair · racket · pound · nail

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. track — a path
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pass — a permit
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. track — to keep track
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. craft — a skill
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. craft — boats
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. track — a song
  22. chair — a leader
  23. mark — a grade
  24. chair — to sit on

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