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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: key · mug · wake · board · net · pop · cue · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. mug — a face
  3. key — for a lock
  4. cue — a signal
  5. net — in sport
  6. mug — a cup
  7. board — a committee
  8. mug — to rob
  9. net — for catching
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. pop — to visit
  12. board — to get on
  13. key — the most important part
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. net — after costs
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pop — soda
  21. key — in music
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wake — a trail
  24. pop — music

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