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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: temple · track · firm · club · date · bank · bay · fan

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bank — of a river
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. club — a group
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. firm — steady
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. bank — for money
  14. club — for golf
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. firm — a company
  17. date — the fruit
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. track — a song
  22. firm — decided
  23. track — a path
  24. bank — for money

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