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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: date · row · kick · track · ball · temple · wake · shower

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. row — to paddle
  3. shower — rain
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. track — to keep track
  7. ball — a great time
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. wake — a trail
  10. row — a line
  11. track — a path
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. kick — in football
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. date — the fruit
  16. ball — a dance
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. shower — to wash
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. track — a song
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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