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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: net · nail · track · tear · temple · hide

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. track — a path
  4. tear — from crying
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — after costs
  7. tear — from crying
  8. net — for catching
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. track — a song
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. tear — to rip
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer

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