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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. sharp — clever
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. band — a music group
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. toast — bread
  14. mug — a cup
  15. board — a committee
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — to rob
  20. board — to get on
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. band — a ring

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