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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: racket · root · temple · chest · ball · bound · track · band

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. track — a path
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. ball — a dance
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. root — the cause
  7. track — a song
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bound — certain
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. track — to keep track
  15. chest — a box
  16. band — a ring
  17. bound — tied together
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. band — a music group
  20. root — of a word
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bound — obliged
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. temple — a place of worship

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