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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. key — in music
  4. spring — the season
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. fall — to drop
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. fall — the season
  13. plane — a tool
  14. spring — of water
  15. spring — a coil
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. key — the most important part
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. foot — a measure
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fall — to drop
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. ruler — for measuring

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