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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: board · pit · suit · land · rock · temple · trunk · jam

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. pit — a hole
  3. rock — a stone
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pit — in a race
  6. suit — clothes
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. land — ground
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. suit — in cards
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. rock — music
  22. board — to get on
  23. land — a country
  24. land — to come down

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