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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: tear · pass · hide · track · file · roll · fan · kick

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. roll — a list
  3. track — a path
  4. file — a tool
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. file — a line of people
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. track — to keep track
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. file — a document
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. pass — a permit
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. kick — in football
  15. tear — to rip
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. roll — a cake
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. track — a song
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. tear — from crying
  24. pass — to succeed

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