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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 124 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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. game — a match
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. roll — a list
  5. game — wild animals
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. press — newspapers
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. hand — help
  12. press — to push
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. board — to get on
  19. roll — a cake
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. board — a committee
  23. press — a publisher
  24. hand — in cards

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