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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 116 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: fan · root · hide · fall · lie · track · pass · saw

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. lie — to recline
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. track — to keep track
  6. fall — the season
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — of a plant
  14. pass — a permit
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. saw — the tool
  18. root — the cause
  19. saw — the tool
  20. track — a path
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. lie — an untruth

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