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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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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: fine · tear · track · bay · perch · rock · fall · bank

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. fall — the season
  3. tear — from crying
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rock — music
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bank — for money
  10. rock — a stone
  11. tear — to rip
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bank — for money
  14. track — a path
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. tear — from crying
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bank — of a river

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