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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: roll · lean · temple · rash · can · bear · board · hand

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. board — to get on
  5. rash — a series
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. can — to be able to
  10. board — a committee
  11. lean — to bend
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. can — a tin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. rash — hasty
  17. roll — a list
  18. bear — the animal
  19. roll — a cake
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. lean — thin
  23. hand — help
  24. bear — the animal

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