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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.

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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.

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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 · rock · temple · current · tube · row · mug · wound

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. row — a line
  4. tube — a container
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. row — to paddle
  8. current — happening now
  9. track — a path
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. mug — a cup
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. wound — an injury
  17. track — a song
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mug — a face
  20. rock — music
  21. mug — to rob
  22. tube — the underground
  23. wound — an injury
  24. track — to keep track

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