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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. board — a committee
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bulb — for light
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. fork — in a road
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bulb — for light
  10. board — to get on
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. fall — the season
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. foot — a measure
  22. fall — to drop
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

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