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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.

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: bound · fall · temple · key · content · cue · chip · roll

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  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. temple — a place of worship
  2. bound — certain
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. roll — a cake
  5. fall — the season
  6. content — the amount
  7. cue — a signal
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bound — obliged
  11. chip — to eat
  12. content — happy
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cue — for pool
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bound — tied together
  17. key — for a lock
  18. roll — a list
  19. cue — a hint
  20. key — in music
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. chip — for betting
  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