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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
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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: drill · band · fall · temple · fine · track · rash · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. track — to keep track
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. drill — a practice
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rash — a series
  8. drill — army training
  9. rash — hasty
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. band — a ring
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fall — the season
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. track — a path
  17. lie — to recline
  18. drill — the tool
  19. track — a song
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. fine — all right
  22. fall — to drop
  23. band — a music group
  24. lie — an untruth

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