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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: board · racket · key · court · fine · pass · tear · temple

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. court — for sport
  8. fine — all right
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — of law
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pass — a permit
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — to get on
  16. key — in music
  17. tear — from crying
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. tear — from crying
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — the most important part

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