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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. staff — employees
  3. sharp — clever
  4. key — the most important part
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. key — in music
  8. spring — a coil
  9. spring — the season
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. key — for a lock
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. spring — of water
  14. staff — employees
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. staff — a stick
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. mark — a grade
  24. fork — in a road

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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