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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. tear — from crying
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. key — for a lock
  6. pop — soda
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. tear — to rip
  9. key — in music
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. pop — to visit
  12. staff — employees
  13. face — to point toward
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pop — music
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. face — part of the head
  19. tear — from crying
  20. craft — a skill
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. face — to confront

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