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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: bound · stand · race · roll · staff · temple · coach · swing

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. race — a contest
  4. roll — a list
  5. staff — employees
  6. bound — certain
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. stand — to bear
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bound — obliged
  12. swing — to play on
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. swing — music
  15. bound — tied together
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. swing — in golf
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. race — humankind
  20. roll — a cake
  21. staff — employees
  22. race — the arms race
  23. staff — a stick
  24. stand — on your feet

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