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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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. temple — a place of worship
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. track — a path
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. board — a committee
  9. ground — a position
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ground — the earth
  15. perch — the fish
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. track — to keep track
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. ground — crushed
  21. track — a song
  22. board — to get on
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. ruler — for measuring

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