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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
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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: board · bowl · field · root · temple · craft · rush · jam

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. root — of a word
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. field — a subject
  10. rush — hurry
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. field — for sport
  15. board — a committee
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — boats
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. root — of a plant
  21. board — to get on
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. root — the cause

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