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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. board — a committee
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bulb — for light
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. lean — thin
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. rash — hasty
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. board — to get on
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. rash — a series
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lean — to bend

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