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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
468
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: root · track · scale · band · rash · temple · cue · lie

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rash — a series
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. track — a song
  6. band — a music group
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. scale — size or range
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. track — a path
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rash — hasty
  21. scale — in music
  22. root — the cause
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. band — a ring

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