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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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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: track · temple · field · bass · bat · bound · bowl · deal

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bass — low music
  4. track — a path
  5. field — for sport
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bound — certain
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. track — a song
  17. deal — to handle
  18. field — a subject
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. field — farmland
  24. bass — the fish

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