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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — a trace
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. key — in music
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. tube — a container
  8. club — for dancing
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. key — the most important part
  12. scale — size or range
  13. key — for a lock
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. club — a group
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. band — a music group
  18. tube — the underground
  19. scale — in music
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. band — a ring
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. club — for golf

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