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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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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: wake · kick · temple · arm · track · swing · rest · bay

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. rest — what's left
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. swing — music
  9. kick — in football
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. swing — in golf
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. swing — to play on
  16. track — to keep track
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rest — a break
  21. wake — a trail
  22. track — a path
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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