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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: key · track · bound · fork · craft · suit · cabinet · file

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. file — a tool
  4. key — the most important part
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bound — certain
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. track — a path
  9. key — for a lock
  10. fork — in a road
  11. file — a document
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. key — in music
  14. file — a line of people
  15. suit — clothes
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bound — tied together
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bound — obliged
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — boats

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