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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · file · ground · bass · track · pit · rest · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bass — low music
  3. ground — a position
  4. file — a line of people
  5. ground — the earth
  6. file — a document
  7. file — a tool
  8. track — a path
  9. ground — crushed
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. can — a tin
  15. bass — the fish
  16. can — to be able to
  17. track — to keep track
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. track — a song
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — in a race
  23. can — a tin
  24. bass — the instrument

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