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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. track — to keep track
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. tube — the underground
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — a stone
  9. press — newspapers
  10. plane — a tool
  11. board — a committee
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. press — a publisher
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. tube — a container
  16. track — a path
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. ball — a dance
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. press — to push
  21. board — to get on
  22. track — a song
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. ball — a round shape

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