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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. key — in music
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — a thing
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. key — for a lock
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. track — a path
  12. object — to protest
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. track — to keep track
  15. key — the most important part
  16. track — a song
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pit — a hole
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. club — for golf
  23. club — a group
  24. pit — in a race

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