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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: track · foot · fall · leaves · cabinet · ball · bear · dip

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. ball — a dance
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. foot — a measure
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fall — the season
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. track — a song
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. track — to keep track
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bear — the animal
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. fall — to drop
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. track — a path

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