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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. net — in sport
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. track — a song
  5. snap — to click
  6. key — for a lock
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rock — a stone
  10. track — a path
  11. object — a thing
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. net — after costs
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. net — for catching
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. rock — music
  20. object — to protest
  21. track — to keep track
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. object — an aim

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