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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. season — of the year
  4. board — a committee
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. club — for golf
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ball — a dance
  10. board — to get on
  11. key — in music
  12. bank — for money
  13. club — a group
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bank — for money
  17. ball — a great time
  18. key — the most important part
  19. vault — a safe
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. club — for dancing

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