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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.

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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: pass · wind · cue · board · lie · bowl · temple · craft

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. board — a committee
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. wind — moving air
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. craft — boats
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. board — to get on
  18. lie — to recline
  19. cue — a hint
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. cue — for pool

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