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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: track · bat · root · pit · object · fine · field · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. pit — a hole
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. object — to protest
  7. root — of a word
  8. field — for sport
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. fine — all right
  15. root — the cause
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. fine — high quality
  19. object — an aim
  20. root — of a plant
  21. track — to keep track
  22. field — a subject
  23. field — farmland
  24. object — a thing

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