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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: field · wave · track · temple · craft · cell · mate · lie

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. mate — to breed
  3. track — to keep track
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. track — a path
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. track — a song
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lie — to recline
  12. field — farmland
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mate — a partner
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mate — a friend
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. craft — a skill
  20. field — a subject
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. craft — boats
  23. cell — a phone
  24. field — for sport

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