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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 · fall · face · saw · temple · current · mouse · bowl

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. saw — the tool
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. current — happening now
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — to drop
  11. track — a song
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. current — of water
  15. face — to confront
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. face — to point toward
  20. fall — the season
  21. track — a path
  22. face — part of the head
  23. current — electric
  24. mouse — the animal

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