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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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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 · board · saw · craft · fork · row · foot · pound

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. craft — a skill
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. craft — boats
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. row — a line
  10. track — a song
  11. foot — a measure
  12. board — a committee
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. saw — the tool
  15. track — a path
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. track — to keep track
  21. board — to get on
  22. saw — the tool
  23. row — to paddle
  24. pound — a weight

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