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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 · wax · lie · track · jam · ball · bowl · mark

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. lie — to recline
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. mark — a grade
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. track — a song
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. track — to keep track
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. ball — a dance
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ball — a great time
  20. wax — to grow
  21. mark — a trace
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. mark — to pay attention

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