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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. mate — a friend
  3. spring — of water
  4. press — newspapers
  5. court — for sport
  6. roll — a cake
  7. court — of law
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. spring — a coil
  10. press — to push
  11. band — a music group
  12. court — of a king
  13. key — in music
  14. mate — a partner
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. key — for a lock
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. spring — the season
  19. band — a ring
  20. press — a publisher
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. mate — to breed
  23. key — the most important part
  24. roll — a list

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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