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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: leaves · band · board · cell · mug · temple · season · dip

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  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. mug — a cup
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. dip — to sink
  5. season — of the year
  6. band — a music group
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. cell — in biology
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a face
  17. band — a ring
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. cell — a phone
  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