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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: safe · key · temple · bear · shower · cap · lie · race

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — in music
  4. cap — a hat
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. race — a contest
  7. race — the arms race
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cap — of ice
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bear — the animal
  16. race — humankind
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. lie — to recline
  22. shower — rain
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cap — a lid

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