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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: hide · safe · track · temple · dip · stock · prune · pop

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pop — to visit
  3. track — a song
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. track — to keep track
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. pop — soda
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. prune — to trim
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. track — a path
  16. stock — goods
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. stock — shares
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. prune — to trim
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. pop — music

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