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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.

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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
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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 · spell · mark · face · drill · board · branch · rest

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. mark — a grade
  3. face — to point toward
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. spell — magic
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. drill — a practice
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. spell — letters
  11. rest — what's left
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. face — to confront
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rest — a break
  16. spell — a short time
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. drill — the tool
  19. mark — a trace
  20. board — a committee
  21. drill — army training
  22. face — part of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. rest — what's left

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