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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ball · fan · temple · tear · cap · trunk · board · cue

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. cue — a hint
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — from crying
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — a hat
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. tear — to rip
  13. board — to get on
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cap — of ice
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cue — a signal
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. board — a committee
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. ball — a dance
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. ball — a round shape

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