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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 · rock · ground · ruler · craft · shower · temple · land

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. shower — rain
  3. land — a country
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — the earth
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. track — a path
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. rock — a stone
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. craft — a skill
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. shower — to wash
  16. craft — boats
  17. track — to keep track
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ground — a position
  20. land — ground
  21. land — to come down
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. rock — music

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