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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: mark · saw · temple · pitcher · clip · key · fall · drill

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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. pitcher — a jug
  4. fall — the season
  5. drill — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. key — the most important part
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mark — a grade
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. key — in music
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. drill — army training
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. key — for a lock
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fall — to drop
  20. clip — for paper
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. clip — to cut
  23. drill — a practice
  24. clip — a video

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