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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: lie · wave · bear · net · mark · race · snap · track

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. track — a song
  3. net — in sport
  4. snap — to click
  5. net — for catching
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. lie — to recline
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — the arms race
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bear — the animal
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. mark — a trace
  14. track — a path
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. race — humankind
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. net — after costs
  22. track — to keep track
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. mark — a grade

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