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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.

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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: bank · track · row · temple · spring · stand · rest · swing

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  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. row — a quarrel
  2. spring — a coil
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stand — to bear
  5. row — to paddle
  6. track — a song
  7. rest — a break
  8. spring — of water
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bank — of a river
  11. row — a line
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bank — for money
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bank — for money
  18. swing — in golf
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. spring — the season
  21. track — a path
  22. track — to keep track
  23. swing — music
  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