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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 · temple · cap · object · spell · shower · trunk · tube

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. object — an aim
  3. spell — magic
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — of ice
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — to wash
  10. tube — the underground
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. track — a path
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. cap — a lid
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. spell — a short time
  17. tube — a container
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. track — to keep track
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. object — a thing
  22. track — a song
  23. spell — letters
  24. object — to protest

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