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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: net · stick · season · temple · track · craft · rush · mine

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. craft — boats
  4. net — for catching
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. track — a path
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. net — after costs
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. season — in sport
  17. mine — for digging
  18. rush — hurry
  19. net — in sport
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. craft — a skill
  24. season — of the year

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