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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: tear · stand · track · prune · dip · face · firm · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. track — a song
  3. face — to point toward
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. ball — a great time
  7. prune — to trim
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — steady
  10. ball — a dance
  11. tear — to rip
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. face — to confront
  14. track — a path
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. tear — from crying
  17. dip — to sink
  18. prune — to trim
  19. face — part of the head
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. tear — from crying
  22. track — to keep track
  23. stand — to bear
  24. firm — a company

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