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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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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: bear · bat · jam · key · lean · temple · roll · bore

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. roll — a list
  3. lean — to bend
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. key — the most important part
  12. lean — thin
  13. bore — to drill
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bore — to tire
  24. key — in 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