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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. staff — employees
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. object — a thing
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. court — of law
  8. court — of a king
  9. suit — clothes
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. object — to protest
  13. key — for a lock
  14. suit — to fit
  15. staff — a stick
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rest — what's left
  18. staff — employees
  19. object — an aim
  20. suit — in cards
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. court — for sport
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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