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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bass — the fish
  6. track — to keep track
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bass — low music
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a cup
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. dip — to sink
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. mug — a face
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. track — a song
  22. bore — to tire
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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