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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: track · fall · tear · hide · can · wave · leaves · roll

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. can — a tin
  3. fall — to drop
  4. track — a path
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. track — a song
  7. can — a tin
  8. fall — the season
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. tear — from crying
  11. roll — a list
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. tear — to rip
  14. roll — a cake
  15. fall — to drop
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. track — to keep track
  18. tear — from crying
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. can — to be able to
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — of the sea

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