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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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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: key · ball · suit · dip · fan · coach · temple · bore

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ball — a great time
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bore — to tire
  9. suit — in cards
  10. key — in music
  11. ball — a dance
  12. suit — to fit
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bore — to drill
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. key — for a lock
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. coach — a trainer

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