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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: deal · can · temple · prune · track · key · calf · jam

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a song
  3. key — in music
  4. prune — to trim
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. can — a tin
  8. track — a path
  9. can — a tin
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. can — to be able to
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. prune — to trim
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. jam — a tight spot

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