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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: pit · saw · sharp · temple · spell · current · track · staff

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. saw — the tool
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. spell — letters
  5. current — happening now
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. staff — employees
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. sharp — clever
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. pit — a hole
  15. current — of water
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. saw — the tool
  18. track — a path
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. current — electric
  24. track — to keep track

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