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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: lean · roll · sharp · craft · track · dip · wind · pass

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. track — a path
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. track — a song
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. roll — a list
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. wind — moving air
  11. craft — a skill
  12. roll — a cake
  13. lean — thin
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. wind — moving air
  20. track — to keep track
  21. pass — a permit
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. craft — boats
  24. pass — to succeed

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