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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: ball · temple · stand · board · dip · bay · kid · deal

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. kid — child
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. board — to get on
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. ball — a great time
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. deal — to handle
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. dip — to sink
  20. kid — to tease
  21. board — a committee
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. ball — a dance

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