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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: hide · rash · track · ground · temple · net · scale · bear

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bear — the animal
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — for catching
  6. track — a path
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. rash — hasty
  9. net — after costs
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. scale — size or range
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. rash — a series
  14. track — to keep track
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — a position
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. scale — in music
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. track — a song

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