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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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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: stick · object · key · pass · shower · chest · racket · temple

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. key — for a lock
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. key — the most important part
  8. object — an aim
  9. chest — of your body
  10. object — a thing
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. object — to protest
  19. key — in music
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. chest — a box
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. shower — to wash
  24. chest — of your body

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