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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. toast — bread
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. mate — to breed
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. mate — a friend
  14. board — to get on
  15. cue — a hint
  16. wax — to grow
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mate — a partner
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. cue — for pool
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. board — a committee
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. straw — a straw man

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