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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. fall — to drop
  8. wound — an injury
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fall — to drop
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. fall — the season
  13. stock — goods
  14. band — a music group
  15. mug — a face
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. mug — to rob
  18. band — a ring
  19. mug — a cup
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. wound — an injury
  24. jam — a tight spot

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