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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a tool
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. ball — a great time
  10. track — a song
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bank — for money
  16. ball — a dance
  17. track — a path
  18. bay — a part 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