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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. spell — a short time
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. perch — the fish
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. spell — magic
  10. bulb — for light
  11. spell — letters
  12. bulb — for light
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. drill — a practice
  19. board — a committee
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. board — to get on
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. drill — army training

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