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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: fine · stand · roll · game · ball · rock · stem · board

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. fine — all right
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. stem — to come from
  7. ball — a dance
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. fine — high quality
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. board — a committee
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. roll — a cake
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. board — to get on
  20. game — a match
  21. roll — a list
  22. game — wild animals
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. ball — a great time

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