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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 120 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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. sharp — clever
  6. rash — hasty
  7. present — the time now
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. present — there
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. march — the month
  14. perch — the fish
  15. deal — to handle
  16. rash — a series
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. board — to get on
  21. present — a gift
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. rash — on the skin

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