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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. swing — music
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rule — a law
  6. board — a committee
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bulb — for light
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rule — government
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. board — to get on
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. swing — in golf
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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