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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 · bear · fork · wake · track · bay · hand · fall

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. track — to keep track
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. fall — the season
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. fall — to drop
  15. track — a song
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. hand — help
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bear — the animal
  21. track — a path
  22. hand — in cards
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. mark — to pay attention

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