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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: rush · stand · plane · track · fall · hide · wax · bear

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wax — to grow
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. stand — to bear
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. track — to keep track
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. rush — hurry
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. track — a song
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. fall — to drop
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. fall — the season
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. plane — an aircraft

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