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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: track · temple · stem · kid · bay · ball · bound · bear

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. bound — certain
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. track — a song
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bound — tied together
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. ball — a dance
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. kid — to tease
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stem — to come from
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. track — a path
  24. kid — child

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