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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. board — to get on
  4. root — of a word
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. race — the arms race
  8. root — of a plant
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. race — a contest
  13. race — humankind
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. root — the cause
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. board — a committee
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. chair — a leader
  24. wound — an injury

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