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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. stand — to bear
  7. object — to protest
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. pound — a weight
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. object — a thing
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. track — a song
  14. hand — help
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. wake — a trail
  18. dip — to sink
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. object — an aim
  21. track — to keep track
  22. hand — in cards
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. dip — to dunk

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