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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: wake · can · stand · spring · track · temple · ground · object

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. can — a tin
  3. ground — crushed
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. track — a path
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. object — a thing
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. track — a song
  10. track — to keep track
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. object — an aim
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — to bear
  16. can — to be able to
  17. ground — the earth
  18. spring — the season
  19. wake — a trail
  20. ground — a position
  21. spring — a coil
  22. can — a tin
  23. spring — of water
  24. object — to protest

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