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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 120 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 valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bat — the animal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. key — in music
  8. race — humankind
  9. object — to protest
  10. race — the arms race
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. scale — in music
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. track — a song
  15. key — for a lock
  16. track — a path
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. key — the most important part
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. scale — size or range
  21. object — an aim
  22. track — to keep track
  23. race — a contest
  24. patient — a sick person

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