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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 120 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
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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 · press · nail · deal · band · temple · firm · clip

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. clip — a video
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. firm — a company
  8. clip — to cut
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. clip — for paper
  11. firm — decided
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. deal — to handle
  14. track — a path
  15. firm — steady
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a music group
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. press — to push
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. press — a publisher
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. press — newspapers

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