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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. tube — a container
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. key — for a lock
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. rash — a series
  11. stock — goods
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. key — in music
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. rash — hasty
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. tube — the underground
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. stock — shares

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