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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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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: lie · temple · bat · key · pop · land · suit · cue

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bat — the animal
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. suit — to fit
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. pop — music
  9. land — to come down
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cue — a signal
  14. land — ground
  15. cue — for pool
  16. key — in music
  17. cue — a hint
  18. pop — to visit
  19. key — for a lock
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. suit — in cards
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. land — a country

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