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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: track · cue · temple · ball · firm · court · wake · rock

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. track — a path
  4. rock — a stone
  5. wake — a trail
  6. cue — a hint
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ball — a great time
  9. cue — for pool
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of law
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. firm — decided
  15. track — a song
  16. rock — music
  17. court — of a king
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. firm — a company
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. firm — steady
  24. cue — a signal

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