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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fork — in a road
  4. track — a path
  5. spring — of water
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. track — to keep track
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. rock — a stone
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. spring — the season
  15. rock — music
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. track — a song
  18. spring — a coil

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