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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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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: fine · craft · race · coach · file · fork · track · chest

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. chest — of your body
  3. craft — a skill
  4. chest — of your body
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. race — humankind
  7. file — a tool
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a song
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. fine — high quality
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. race — the arms race
  17. file — a document
  18. chest — a box
  19. fine — all right
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. race — a contest
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. track — a path

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