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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: track · rock · last · foot · rash · band · hide · row

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. rock — a stone
  3. track — to keep track
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. row — a line
  6. last — finally
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rash — hasty
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. band — a music group
  11. foot — a measure
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. track — a song
  16. last — to go on
  17. last — final
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. band — a ring
  21. row — to paddle
  22. rash — a series
  23. track — a path
  24. band — a rubber band

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