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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: mine · bulb · board · rock · squash · temple · swing · stand

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. squash — the sport
  4. rock — music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. swing — to play on
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. stand — to bear
  13. board — a committee
  14. squash — to crush
  15. bulb — for light
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — for digging
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. rock — a stone
  21. swing — in golf
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. swing — music
  24. board — to get on

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