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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. rash — hasty
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mark — a trace
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. mark — a grade
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rash — a series
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. plane — a tool
  17. board — a committee
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. board — to get on
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — for sculpting

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