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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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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: pop · trunk · suit · fine · deal · board · temple · bat

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. board — a committee
  3. bat — the animal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. fine — high quality
  6. board — to get on
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. suit — in cards
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pop — to visit
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. fine — all right
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. deal — to handle
  18. pop — music
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. pop — soda
  24. board — a flat piece

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