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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: temple · bay · track · file · row · chip · ball · roll

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. ball — a dance
  3. file — a line of people
  4. chip — to eat
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. file — a tool
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. roll — a list
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. file — a document
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. row — a line
  17. track — to keep track
  18. chip — for betting
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. row — to paddle
  23. track — a song
  24. row — a quarrel

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