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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 116 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: lean · mine · mark · fan · track · club · lie · board

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. lean — to bend
  4. track — a path
  5. lean — thin
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mine — for digging
  8. track — to keep track
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. club — a group
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. club — for golf
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. track — a song
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. club — for dancing
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. mark — a trace

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