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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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Word bank
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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. spell — magic
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. spell — a short time
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. board — to get on
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mark — a grade
  24. board — a committee

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