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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  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. rock — music
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. can — a tin
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. fall — the season
  7. fall — to drop
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. key — in music
  12. staff — a stick
  13. key — for a lock
  14. rock — a stone
  15. key — the most important part
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. can — a tin
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fall — to drop
  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