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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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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: lash · fork · pound · spring · foot · pass · track · face

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pass — a permit
  5. track — to keep track
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — the season
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. spring — of water
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. face — to point toward
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. track — a song
  17. foot — a measure
  18. track — a path
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — part of the head
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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