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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stand — to bear
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. key — for a lock
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. board — to get on
  15. key — the most important part
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. dip — to sink
  18. fork — in a road
  19. board — a committee
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. dip — to dunk

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