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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: shower · object · board · craft · face · bear · wax · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. board — a committee
  3. object — an aim
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. face — to confront
  6. bear — the animal
  7. shower — rain
  8. wax — to grow
  9. object — to protest
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. craft — boats
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. object — a thing
  15. bear — the animal
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. face — part of the head
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. board — to get on
  22. face — to point toward
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. temple — a place of worship

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