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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: firm · wave · row · rash · temple · fall · track · mine

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. track — to keep track
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. fall — the season
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. row — to paddle
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. firm — decided
  10. track — a path
  11. rash — a series
  12. track — a song
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. firm — steady
  15. mine — for digging
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. rash — hasty
  18. fall — to drop
  19. row — a line
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. fall — to drop
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. firm — a company
  24. mine — belonging to me

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