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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. board — a committee
  6. rest — what's left
  7. chest — of your body
  8. suit — clothes
  9. chest — of your body
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. rest — what's left
  12. shower — to wash
  13. rest — a break
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. plane — a tool
  20. chest — a box
  21. shower — rain
  22. suit — in cards
  23. board — to get on
  24. suit — to fit

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