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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. track — a path
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mark — a grade
  8. rock — a stone
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. track — a song
  13. squash — to crush
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rock — music
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. squash — the sport
  21. track — to keep track
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. mark — a trace

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