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

Word bank: cue · cell · face · key · file · temple · deal · wound

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. key — in music
  3. wound — an injury
  4. key — the most important part
  5. deal — to handle
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. cell — in biology
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. file — a line of people
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — a signal
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — part of the head
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. key — for a lock
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. file — a document
  21. cue — for pool
  22. file — a tool
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. face — to point toward

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