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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.

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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: track · fall · band · can · sharp · face · bowl · mouse

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. can — a tin
  6. face — to point toward
  7. fall — the season
  8. face — part of the head
  9. sharp — clever
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. can — a tin
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. face — to confront
  15. track — a song
  16. track — to keep track
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. band — a ring
  24. can — to be able to

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