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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. key — the most important part
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. board — a committee
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. board — to get on
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. key — in music
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. fork — in a road
  16. rush — hurry
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. key — for a lock
  20. sharp — clever
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. sharp — with an edge

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