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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: rock · land · tube · track · temple · lie · snap · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. rock — music
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. object — an aim
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. snap — to click
  7. lie — to recline
  8. track — to keep track
  9. land — to come down
  10. tube — a container
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. land — a country
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — the underground
  16. track — a song
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. land — ground
  20. object — to protest
  21. track — a path
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. rock — a stone
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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