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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 · can · ground · bay · court · squash · face

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. court — for sport
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. court — of law
  5. can — a tin
  6. track — to keep track
  7. ground — the earth
  8. can — a tin
  9. face — to confront
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. track — a song
  13. ground — a position
  14. face — to point toward
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. can — to be able to
  17. face — part of the head
  18. track — a path
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. squash — the sport
  21. squash — to crush
  22. ground — crushed
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. court — of a king

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