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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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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 · mark · track · pit · file · charge · ruler · tear

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. file — a document
  5. charge — a price
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. file — a tool
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pit — a hole
  10. tear — from crying
  11. mark — a grade
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. track — a song
  14. tear — to rip
  15. mark — a trace
  16. charge — electricity
  17. track — a path
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. charge — in control
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. pit — in a race
  23. track — to keep track
  24. tear — from crying

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