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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 120 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: hide · swing · temple · drill · key · pound · object · rule

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. swing — in golf
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rule — government
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. drill — the tool
  7. swing — to play on
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pound — a weight
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — in music
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. swing — music
  16. object — a thing
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. drill — army training
  19. object — to protest
  20. rule — a law
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. drill — a practice
  24. object — an aim

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