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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: rash · temple · chair · board · cell · ruler · ball · plane

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. chair — a leader
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cell — a phone
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. board — a committee
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. rash — hasty
  12. ball — a dance
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — a series
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cell — in biology
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. plane — a tool

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