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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. key — in music
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. chip — to eat
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. spring — the season
  13. lie — to recline
  14. key — for a lock
  15. chip — for betting
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. spring — a coil
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. spring — of water
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. temple — a place of worship

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