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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: kick · march · track · lie · game · lean · pound · nail

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. march — music
  3. lean — to bend
  4. kick — in football
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. track — a path
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pound — a weight
  9. march — the month
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. lean — thin
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. march — the month
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a song
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. game — a match
  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