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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 · kick · temple · bear · rock · file · cabinet · dip

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rock — music
  12. track — a path
  13. file — a document
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. rock — a stone
  16. track — to keep track
  17. dip — to sink
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. file — a line of people
  20. file — a tool
  21. kick — in football
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bear — the animal
  24. dip — to dunk

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