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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bat — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. key — in music
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. track — to keep track
  13. key — for a lock
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. track — a path
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. track — a song

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