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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 · cap · mate · fan · chip · snap · temple · band

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. mate — to breed
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. band — a music group
  5. cap — of ice
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. snap — to click
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. cap — a hat
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. mate — a partner
  13. band — a ring
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. chip — for betting
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. mate — a friend
  23. cap — a lid
  24. fan — to cool the air

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