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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. object — an aim
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. perch — the fish
  5. key — in music
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. key — for a lock
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. dip — to sink
  20. pitch — completely
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. wake — a trail
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. perch — for a bird

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