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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. clip — a video
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. key — in music
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. key — the most important part
  8. mug — a cup
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — a position
  12. mug — to rob
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. clip — for paper
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. key — for a lock
  17. perch — the fish
  18. clip — to cut
  19. chair — a leader
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. ground — crushed
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mug — a face

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