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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: object · stand · track · lean · bowl · game · hide · wake

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. track — a path
  3. game — a match
  4. object — an aim
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. object — a thing
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. game — wild animals
  12. stand — to bear
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. object — to protest
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — a trail
  18. track — to keep track
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. lean — to bend
  22. track — a song
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. lean — thin

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