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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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 — to bear
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bank — for money
  5. board — to get on
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bank — of a river
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bank — for money
  17. content — the amount
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. board — a committee
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. content — happy

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