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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 120 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. board — a committee
  3. spell — a short time
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. march — the month
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. spell — magic
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. cap — a hat
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. march — the month
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. cap — of ice
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. deal — to handle
  20. board — to get on
  21. march — music
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. spell — letters
  24. deal — a big deal

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