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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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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: game · stick · board · foot · band · lie · temple · deal

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. lie — to recline
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. board — a committee
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. game — wild animals
  16. band — a music group
  17. deal — to handle
  18. band — a ring
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. foot — a measure
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. temple — side of the head

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