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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. craft — boats
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. fine — high quality
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stem — to come from
  9. board — a committee
  10. fine — all right
  11. craft — a skill
  12. game — wild animals
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bound — certain
  15. kick — in football
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. bound — obliged
  19. game — a match
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bound — tied together
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. stem — a stem cell

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