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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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 — a stick
  3. key — for a lock
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. chest — a box
  6. club — for golf
  7. key — the most important part
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. chest — of your body
  10. key — in music
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. staff — employees
  13. mate — a friend
  14. chest — of your body
  15. staff — employees
  16. mate — a partner
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. club — for dancing
  21. mate — to breed
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. club — a group
  24. temple — a place of worship

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