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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: fan · lie · temple · pass · key · spring · board · deal

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. key — the most important part
  5. spring — a coil
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. board — to get on
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. spring — of water
  10. lie — to recline
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. key — in music
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. deal — to handle
  22. key — for a lock
  23. board — a committee
  24. spring — the season

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