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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: suit · tear · temple · bass · saw · plane · mug · track

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. tear — from crying
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. suit — to fit
  5. track — a path
  6. suit — clothes
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a song
  9. tear — from crying
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. suit — in cards
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — a cup
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. mug — to rob
  20. saw — the tool
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — the instrument

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