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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.

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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: staff · shower · mark · key · foot · fall · bore · temple

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mark — a trace
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. staff — a stick
  10. key — for a lock
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bore — to tire
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bore — to drill
  15. fall — the season
  16. staff — employees
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. staff — employees
  21. foot — a measure
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. key — in music
  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