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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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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: mark · lie · row · track · toast · tear · wave · foot

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. row — a line
  3. track — a path
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — to rip
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. mark — a grade
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. track — to keep track
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mark — a trace
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. track — a song
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. foot — a measure
  23. tear — from crying
  24. wave — of the sea

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