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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: board · temple · mug · mate · spring · fan · mouse · face

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. mug — a face
  3. face — to confront
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. spring — of water
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mate — a friend
  8. face — to point toward
  9. board — to get on
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. spring — a coil
  14. board — a committee
  15. mate — a partner
  16. spring — the season
  17. mug — to rob
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. mate — to breed
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mug — a cup
  23. face — part of the head
  24. mouse — the animal

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