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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 · stick · cell · season · kick · bay · can · track

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. kick — in football
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. track — to keep track
  10. cell — in biology
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. can — a tin
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. season — in sport
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. cell — a phone
  21. track — a song
  22. season — of the year
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. season — to add flavour

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