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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 · racket · spring · ground · roll · stick · fall · nail

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. spring — a coil
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. ground — the earth
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. ground — a position
  7. roll — a cake
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. track — a song
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fall — the season
  13. roll — a list
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fall — to drop
  16. ground — crushed
  17. fall — to drop
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. track — a path
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. track — to keep track
  24. spring — the season

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