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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.

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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. march — the month
  5. row — to paddle
  6. ground — a position
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. row — a line
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. key — in music
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. key — the most important part
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. key — for a lock
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ground — the earth
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. ground — crushed

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