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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. key — the most important part
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — crushed
  6. lie — to recline
  7. ground — the earth
  8. march — music
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. pit — a hole
  11. march — the month
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. key — in music
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. pit — in a race
  17. cold — an illness
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cold — not warm
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. key — for a lock

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