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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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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 · craft · staff · object · board · bound · pop · coach

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. craft — boats
  5. staff — a stick
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — a thing
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bound — certain
  10. object — an aim
  11. board — to get on
  12. pop — to visit
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. board — a committee
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bound — obliged
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — music
  22. staff — employees
  23. bound — tied together
  24. staff — employees

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