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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.

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: board · chest · bass · staff · temple · ground · calf · stand

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. ground — a position
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bass — low music
  12. board — a committee
  13. chest — a box
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bass — the fish
  20. stand — to bear
  21. ground — the earth
  22. chest — of your body
  23. staff — a stick
  24. calf — a young animal

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