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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: board · field · temple · roll · toast · bass · spring · craft

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. spring — of water
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — to get on
  5. bass — the fish
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. roll — a cake
  10. bass — low music
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. roll — a list
  13. field — farmland
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. craft — a skill
  16. toast — bread
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. field — a subject
  19. spring — a coil
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. spring — the season
  23. craft — boats
  24. toast — the most admired

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