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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 · temple · hide · trunk · rush · snap · deal · rest

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rush — hurry
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rest — what's left
  16. key — the most important part
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. key — in music
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. snap — to click
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a tree

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