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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.

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: stand · stick · land · track · straw · object · ball · march

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. object — a thing
  3. march — the month
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. object — an aim
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. march — the month
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. track — a path
  12. stand — to bear
  13. march — music
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. land — to come down
  16. ball — a great time
  17. land — ground
  18. land — a country
  19. object — to protest
  20. track — a song
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. ball — a dance

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