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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: game · pass · straw · track · temple · lie · tube · racket

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. track — a song
  4. game — wild animals
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. tube — a container
  8. lie — to recline
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. game — a match
  12. tube — the underground
  13. track — a path
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. track — to keep track
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. pass — to succeed

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