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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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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. stand — to bear
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. present — there
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. present — the time now
  8. object — an aim
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. key — in music
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. lie — to recline
  16. object — to protest
  17. key — the most important part
  18. object — a thing
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. key — for a lock
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. present — a gift
  23. plane — a tool
  24. stand — on your feet

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