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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. key — the most important part
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. race — a contest
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. race — humankind
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pound — a weight
  18. key — for a lock
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. race — the arms race
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. saw — the tool
  23. lie — to recline
  24. key — in music

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