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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 120 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: lie · dip · stand · last · track · rest · calf · tube

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rest — what's left
  4. tube — the underground
  5. rest — a break
  6. track — a path
  7. lie — to recline
  8. rest — what's left
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. last — to go on
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. stand — to bear
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. tube — a container
  17. track — to keep track
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. last — final
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. last — finally
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. dip — to sink

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