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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: wave · track · sharp · fork · lean · toast · wind · hide

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fork — in a road
  4. wind — moving air
  5. track — a path
  6. lean — thin
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. track — a song
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. toast — bread
  16. sharp — clever
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. lean — to bend
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fork — a garden tool

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