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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: game · lie · staff · object · fall · mark · bear · track

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. track — a song
  3. staff — employees
  4. object — a thing
  5. fall — to drop
  6. track — a path
  7. staff — employees
  8. game — a match
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. track — to keep track
  11. lie — to recline
  12. game — wild animals
  13. object — to protest
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bear — the animal
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bear — the animal
  19. fall — the season
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. object — an aim
  23. staff — a stick
  24. lie — an untruth

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