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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. march — the month
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. pop — to visit
  10. march — the month
  11. key — in music
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. pop — music
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. march — music
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. board — a committee
  22. pop — soda
  23. key — the most important part
  24. jam — a tight spot

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