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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: board · swing · spring · capital · roll · temple · bowl · object

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. swing — music
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. board — a committee
  14. roll — a list
  15. object — a thing
  16. board — to get on
  17. spring — the season
  18. object — an aim
  19. roll — a cake
  20. capital — money
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. object — to protest
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. capital — a city

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