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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: fall · fan · drill · bay · date · lean · track · stand

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. drill — army training
  6. lean — to bend
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — a practice
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fall — to drop
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fall — the season
  13. track — to keep track
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. track — a song
  20. stand — to bear
  21. lean — thin
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. date — the fruit

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