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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: rock · chip · temple · track · jam · bat · fan · present

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. rock — music
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. track — a path
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. rock — a stone
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. chip — for betting
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. present — the time now
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. chip — to eat
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. present — a gift
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. bat — the animal
  20. present — there
  21. track — a song
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. track — to keep track

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