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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: kick · key · temple · dip · rule · bear · scale · sharp

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. scale — in music
  4. dip — to sink
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. sharp — clever
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rule — government
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. kick — in football
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. key — for a lock

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