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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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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: coach · board · squash · roll · bear · bat · temple · firm

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. squash — to crush
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bear — the animal
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. roll — a cake
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bat — the animal
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — steady
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. board — to get on
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. roll — a list
  23. board — a committee
  24. firm — a company

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