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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 120 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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Word bank
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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. rest — a break
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pitch — completely
  6. branch — a division
  7. track — a path
  8. ball — a great time
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rush — hurry
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. ball — a dance
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rest — what's left
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. chip — for betting
  24. track — a song

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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