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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: capital · wake · current · foot · rash · temple · tear · track

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. current — happening now
  3. wake — a trail
  4. foot — a measure
  5. tear — from crying
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rash — hasty
  9. track — a song
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. tear — to rip
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. current — electric
  14. capital — a city
  15. tear — from crying
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. capital — money
  21. track — a path
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. current — of water

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