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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
468
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: temple · track · pitch · field · mouse · bore · file · march

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bore — to drill
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bore — to tire
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. march — the month
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a song
  12. march — music
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. field — for sport
  17. file — a line of people
  18. file — a tool
  19. track — a path
  20. field — a subject
  21. march — the month
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. field — farmland
  24. 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