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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 · staff · mug · rash · rush · temple · field · snap

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. field — for sport
  3. field — farmland
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rash — hasty
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. snap — to click
  8. key — for a lock
  9. rash — a series
  10. field — a subject
  11. staff — employees
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. staff — employees
  17. mug — to rob
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. staff — a stick
  21. mug — a cup
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. temple — side of the head

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