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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · lie · band · spring · craft · track · ball · kick

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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. spring — the season
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. kick — in football
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. ball — a great time
  10. craft — boats
  11. spring — of water
  12. band — a ring
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. track — a path
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a music group
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. lie — to recline
  20. spring — a coil
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. craft — a skill
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. ball — a dance

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