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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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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: bat · deal · wake · temple · trunk · foot · key · club

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. key — the most important part
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. club — a group
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bat — the animal
  12. club — for dancing
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. key — in music
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. deal — to handle
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. club — for golf
  22. key — for a lock
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. deal — an agreement

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