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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: date · key · chip · lean · temple · present · leaves · land

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. present — a gift
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. lean — thin
  7. date — the fruit
  8. present — the time now
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. present — there
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — in music
  15. land — to come down
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. land — a country
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. lean — to bend
  21. chip — to eat
  22. land — ground
  23. chip — for betting
  24. temple — side of the head

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