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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.

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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: band · temple · root · kid · board · pound · stand · toast

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. root — of a word
  3. band — a music group
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. board — to get on
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. root — the cause
  11. toast — bread
  12. kid — child
  13. kid — to tease
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. root — of a plant
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. band — a ring
  19. pound — a weight
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. board — a committee
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. stand — to bear
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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