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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: hide · temple · wave · track · rock · court

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rock — music
  3. track — a path
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rock — a stone
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. court — for sport
  12. court — of a king
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. court — of law
  16. track — a song
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. temple — a place of worship

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