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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: tube · temple · lie · drill · can · key · mug · spring

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. mug — to rob
  3. spring — of water
  4. drill — a practice
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. can — to be able to
  7. key — for a lock
  8. key — the most important part
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. spring — a coil
  12. key — in music
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mug — a face
  18. can — a tin
  19. drill — army training
  20. lie — to recline
  21. spring — the season
  22. mug — a cup
  23. can — a tin
  24. lie — an untruth

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