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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 120 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: key · snap · bear · track · temple · ground · last · fan

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bear — the animal
  4. track — to keep track
  5. last — finally
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. ground — the earth
  8. last — final
  9. snap — to click
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. track — a song
  13. ground — a position
  14. last — to go on
  15. key — for a lock
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bear — the animal
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. track — a path
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. bear — to put up with

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