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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 · bear · root · hide · wax · arm · lie · board

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. lie — to recline
  3. track — a song
  4. track — a path
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bear — the animal
  8. board — a committee
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. board — to get on
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. root — of a word
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. wax — to grow
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. root — the cause
  18. bear — the animal
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. root — of a plant

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