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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: stand · track · spell · suit · land · rule · wake · mark

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. wake — a trail
  6. spell — letters
  7. mark — a grade
  8. land — ground
  9. track — a song
  10. spell — magic
  11. mark — a trace
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rule — government
  14. stand — to bear
  15. land — to come down
  16. rule — a law
  17. land — a country
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. track — to keep track
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. spell — a short time
  24. wake — before a funeral

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