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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. track — a path
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rush — hurry
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. rash — a series
  7. swing — in golf
  8. track — to keep track
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. swing — to play on
  13. shower — to wash
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. swing — music
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. track — a song
  23. shower — rain
  24. cabinet — ministers

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