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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. deal — to handle
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. march — music
  13. board — to get on
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. suit — in cards
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. suit — to fit
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. march — the month
  22. suit — clothes
  23. march — the month
  24. temple — a place of worship

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