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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. board — to get on
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. cue — a hint
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bulb — for light
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cue — for pool
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. deal — to handle
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. board — a committee

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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