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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 · cap · staff · fine · cue · rush · track · straw

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. track — a song
  5. fine — all right
  6. rush — hurry
  7. staff — a stick
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. staff — employees
  12. cap — a lid
  13. fine — high quality
  14. cap — of ice
  15. staff — employees
  16. cue — for pool
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. track — to keep track
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. cap — a hat

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