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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. key — for a lock
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. content — happy
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. content — the amount
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. key — in music
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. root — the cause
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. root — of a plant
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. stand — to bear
  22. root — of a word
  23. key — the most important part
  24. safe — a strongbox

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