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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
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: stick · club · game · fall · temple · track · current · bound

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a path
  4. bound — obliged
  5. current — electric
  6. club — a group
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bound — tied together
  9. track — a song
  10. club — for dancing
  11. game — wild animals
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. fall — to drop
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fall — the season
  17. bound — certain
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. club — for golf
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — of water
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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