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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: rest · temple · track · fall · pop · roll · date · lean

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fall — to drop
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. roll — a list
  6. pop — to visit
  7. lean — thin
  8. track — a path
  9. rest — what's left
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. track — a song
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — music
  16. date — the fruit
  17. rest — a break
  18. fall — to drop
  19. lean — to bend
  20. roll — a cake
  21. rest — what's left
  22. fall — the season
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. roll — on a roll

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