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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 120 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. drill — the tool
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. drill — army training
  8. lie — to recline
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. clip — to cut
  12. pass — a permit
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. board — a committee
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. clip — for paper
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. drill — a practice
  21. clip — a video
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. board — to get on
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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