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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: board · pound · charge · temple · bay · game · kid · stand

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  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. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. charge — in control
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. kid — to tease
  8. game — wild animals
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. game — a match
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. charge — a price
  18. board — to get on
  19. kid — child
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — a weight
  23. charge — electricity
  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