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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. pit — in a race
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. perch — the fish
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. cell — a phone
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. cell — in biology
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rock — a stone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. board — a committee
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. coach — a trainer

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