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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.

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: file · temple · jam · object · ground · key · race · staff

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. key — in music
  3. file — a document
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ground — crushed
  6. race — the arms race
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. file — a line of people
  9. object — to protest
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. file — a tool
  12. staff — employees
  13. key — the most important part
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — an aim
  17. ground — a position
  18. race — a contest
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. staff — a stick
  21. staff — employees
  22. race — humankind
  23. ground — the earth
  24. temple — a place of worship

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