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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: foot · race · hide · bear · track · pit · lean · fan

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. race — the arms race
  4. track — a path
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bear — the animal
  8. foot — a measure
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pit — in a race
  12. race — humankind
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lean — thin
  15. race — a contest
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. pit — a hole
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. track — a song

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