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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 · roll · coach · tear · bear · nail · snap · march

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. march — the month
  3. bear — the animal
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. track — a song
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. snap — to click
  10. tear — from crying
  11. march — music
  12. track — a path
  13. bear — the animal
  14. tear — from crying
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. march — the month
  17. roll — a cake
  18. roll — a list
  19. tear — to rip
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. track — to keep track

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