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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. deal — to handle
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a document
  11. toast — bread
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — to get on
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. stand — to bear
  18. file — a tool

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