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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: key · jam · temple · chair · mouse · pit · pass · fall

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. key — in music
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. chair — a leader
  7. key — the most important part
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. fall — the season
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — in a race
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. key — for a lock
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. chair — to sit on

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