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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: temple · kick · board · sharp · mouse · fork · face · cap

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. face — to point toward
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. board — to get on
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cap — a hat
  10. face — part of the head
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. cap — of ice
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. sharp — clever
  18. fork — in a road
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — in football
  21. face — to confront
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. board — a committee

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