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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. scale — in music
  4. object — to protest
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. cue — a hint
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. cue — a signal
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. key — for a lock
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. rush — hurry
  14. key — the most important part
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. scale — size or range
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. key — in music
  19. cue — for pool
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. object — an aim
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. object — a thing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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