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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. scale — in music
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. key — in music
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. cue — a hint
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. capital — money
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. capital — a city
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bear — the animal
  21. cue — a signal
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. bear — the animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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