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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.

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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: row · temple · snap · cabinet · rock · cell · track · band

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. band — a music group
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rock — music
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. track — to keep track
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. rock — a stone
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. band — a ring
  15. track — a path
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a line
  20. track — a song
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. snap — to click
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. rock — to move gently

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