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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. tear — to rip
  4. tear — from crying
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. board — to get on
  7. pass — a permit
  8. charge — in control
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. charge — a price
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. key — in music
  17. bank — for money
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wound — an injury
  20. tear — from crying
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. charge — electricity
  23. board — a committee
  24. pass — to spend time

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