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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bound · tear · hide · temple · cue · key · face · ground

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. ground — the earth
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. tear — from crying
  5. cue — for pool
  6. face — part of the head
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cue — a hint
  9. face — to confront
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — in music
  14. ground — a position
  15. tear — to rip
  16. bound — certain
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. key — for a lock
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bound — tied together
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bound — obliged
  23. face — to point toward
  24. cue — a signal

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