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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: track · vault · dip · row · temple · mark · fine · hand

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  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 — to paddle
  2. fine — all right
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. track — a path
  6. mark — a grade
  7. vault — a safe
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. track — a song
  10. track — to keep track
  11. hand — in cards
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. row — a line
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. dip — to sink
  18. fine — high quality
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. hand — help
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  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