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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. stock — shares
  3. key — for a lock
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. tube — a container
  15. fine — high quality
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. stock — goods
  20. tube — the underground
  21. key — in music
  22. fine — all right
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. key — the most important part

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