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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · rock · stick · temple · saw · fine · swing · track

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. track — a song
  3. track — a path
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. rock — a stone
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. swing — in golf
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. track — to keep track
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rock — music
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bark — to shout
  16. fine — all right
  17. swing — to play on
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. swing — music
  24. temple — a place of worship

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