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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rule — a law
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. cap — a lid
  9. chest — of your body
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. rule — government
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. key — in music
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. firm — steady
  17. key — the most important part
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. chest — a box
  21. chest — of your body
  22. cap — a hat
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. firm — decided

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