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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. rock — music
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bulb — for light
  5. track — a path
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. race — a contest
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — to get on
  12. bulb — for light
  13. track — a song
  14. race — humankind
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. track — to keep track
  18. race — the arms race

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