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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: bay · land · track · bass · field · rest · drill · temple

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. track — a song
  3. drill — a practice
  4. field — a subject
  5. drill — army training
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. drill — the tool
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. land — ground
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. land — to come down
  16. bass — low music
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. track — a path
  19. field — for sport
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bass — the fish
  24. field — farmland

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