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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. wax — to grow
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. board — a committee
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. mug — a cup
  13. roll — a cake
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. roll — a list
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. mug — to rob
  21. board — to get on
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. kick — in football
  24. roll — on a roll

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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