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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: calf · track · pop · mark · bound · lie · lash · temple

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. track — to keep track
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pop — soda
  7. track — a song
  8. mark — a trace
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. pop — to visit
  11. track — a path
  12. pop — music
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bound — tied together
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bound — certain
  20. mark — a grade
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bound — obliged

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