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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
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: temple · file · cabinet · key · cue · wax · spring · lie

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. spring — of water
  4. key — in music
  5. wax — to grow
  6. file — a document
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cue — a signal
  10. key — the most important part
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. key — for a lock
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. spring — a coil
  18. file — a line of people
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. file — a tool
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cue — a hint
  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