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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. press — a publisher
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. board — to get on
  9. net — in sport
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — to push
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. net — after costs
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. board — a committee
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. craft — a skill
  19. net — for catching
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. craft — boats

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