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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: nail · spell · fall · temple · tear · trunk · track · coach

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. track — a path
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. track — a song
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. spell — magic
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. tear — from crying
  11. fall — to drop
  12. track — to keep track
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. fall — to drop
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. tear — to rip
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. spell — letters
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. tear — from crying
  23. fall — the season
  24. nail — for a hammer

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