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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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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: hide · wake · lean · stand · foot · ground · mark · rock

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a trace
  4. ground — the earth
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — a measure
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. stand — to bear
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ground — a position
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. lean — to bend
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. lean — thin
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. ground — crushed
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rock — music
  24. mark — a grade

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