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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: temple · fan · track · ball · swing · pop · kid · wound

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. swing — music
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. swing — to play on
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — soda
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wound — an injury
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a song
  14. pop — to visit
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. kid — to tease
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ball — a great time
  19. kid — child
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wound — an injury
  22. swing — in golf
  23. track — a path
  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