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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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 — a place of worship
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. saw — the tool
  6. band — a music group
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. chip — to eat
  9. chip — for betting
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. board — a committee
  12. saw — the tool
  13. band — a ring
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. foot — a measure
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. board — to get on
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — to roll

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