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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. lie — to recline
  3. rock — music
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. board — to get on
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. board — a committee
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. band — a ring
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. deal — to handle
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rock — a stone
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. band — a music group

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