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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: track · capital · pound · craft · firm · sharp · bay · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. prune — to trim
  4. track — a path
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. capital — a city
  8. sharp — clever
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. craft — boats
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. capital — money
  16. firm — decided
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. prune — to trim
  20. firm — steady
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. firm — a company
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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