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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. key — for a lock
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pop — soda
  7. present — the time now
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. pop — music
  15. present — there
  16. present — a gift
  17. key — in music
  18. bat — the animal

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