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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: saw · lie · leaves · kick · temple · key · march · spring

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. march — music
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. spring — a coil
  5. saw — the tool
  6. spring — the season
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. lie — to recline
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. march — the month
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. saw — the tool
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — in music
  19. kick — in football
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. march — the month
  22. spring — of water
  23. key — for a lock
  24. temple — a place of worship

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