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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: snap · key · lie · temple · rush · court · fork · leaves

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. court — for sport
  3. rush — hurry
  4. key — for a lock
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. court — of law
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. snap — to click
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. fork — in a road
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. key — in music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. court — of a king
  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