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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. drill — the tool
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. perch — the fish
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. face — to point toward
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. drill — a practice
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. face — to confront
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. drill — army training
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — in music
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. mark — a trace

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