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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. current — electric
  4. face — part of the head
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. object — to protest
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. current — of water
  12. kick — in football
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. branch — a division
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. object — a thing
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. board — to get on
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. face — to confront
  22. current — happening now
  23. face — to point toward
  24. object — an aim

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