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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. root — of a plant
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. band — a ring
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. board — to get on
  13. plane — a tool
  14. root — the cause
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. root — of a word
  18. board — a committee
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rash — a series
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bowl — a dish

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