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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: rash · safe · track · chair · hide · face · fan · wake

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. track — to keep track
  3. rash — hasty
  4. face — to point toward
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — a series
  13. face — to confront
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. track — a song
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. face — part of the head
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. fan — a supporter

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