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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mate · temple · roll · board · date · bank · land · squash

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bank — for money
  3. roll — a list
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. roll — a cake
  9. date — the fruit
  10. land — ground
  11. mate — to breed
  12. board — to get on
  13. mate — a partner
  14. land — a country
  15. land — to come down
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. board — a committee
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. squash — to crush
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mate — a friend

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