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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: mark · stand · kick · suit · pop · track · field · wake

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. track — a song
  5. pop — soda
  6. field — a subject
  7. wake — a trail
  8. field — farmland
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. track — to keep track
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. suit — in cards
  13. kick — in football
  14. pop — to visit
  15. field — for sport
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pop — music
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. track — a path
  23. mark — a trace
  24. stand — to bear

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