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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: toast · rock · temple · clip · fan · fine · key · object

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. key — the most important part
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. object — an aim
  7. fine — high quality
  8. key — in music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. clip — a video
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. object — a thing
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. clip — to cut
  16. object — to protest
  17. clip — for paper
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. key — for a lock
  21. toast — bread
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. fine — all right
  24. rock — music

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