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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. object — an aim
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. board — to get on
  7. squash — the sport
  8. object — to protest
  9. saw — the tool
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. saw — the tool
  12. squash — to crush
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. object — a thing
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. board — a committee

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