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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.

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: track · pass · craft · pitcher · fork · rush · wind · key

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. craft — boats
  4. wind — moving air
  5. track — to keep track
  6. pass — a permit
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. track — a path
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. key — for a lock
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. key — in music
  15. wind — moving air
  16. track — a song
  17. rush — hurry
  18. fork — in a road
  19. key — the most important part
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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