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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 · temple · bark · rest · pass · ball · wound · cue

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a hint
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cue — a signal
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wound — an injury
  11. key — in music
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. key — for a lock
  16. rest — a break
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pass — a permit
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bark — to shout
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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