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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: land · stand · present · bass · board · safe · band · temple

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. land — to come down
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. land — a country
  7. bass — low music
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. present — there
  11. present — a gift
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. present — the time now
  15. board — to get on
  16. land — ground
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. band — a music group
  22. bass — the fish
  23. stand — to bear
  24. board — a committee

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