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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.

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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: ball · rock · track · dip · temple · mug · object · chip

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. object — a thing
  3. chip — to eat
  4. object — to protest
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. track — a song
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — to rob
  14. chip — for betting
  15. mug — a face
  16. dip — to sink
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rock — a stone
  22. object — an aim
  23. track — a path
  24. track — to keep track

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