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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: stick · nail · fall · track · bowl · dip · leaves · arm

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. fall — to drop
  13. track — a song
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. track — to keep track
  19. fall — the season
  20. track — a path
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. fall — to drop

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