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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. cap — a hat
  4. kid — to tease
  5. board — to get on
  6. tube — the underground
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. kid — child
  10. board — a committee
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. fine — all right
  15. cap — a lid
  16. tube — a container
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. cap — of ice
  20. fine — high quality
  21. stand — to bear
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. kick — in football

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