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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: temple · snap · tube · foot · board · coach · ground · bank

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. tube — a container
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. ground — the earth
  13. tube — the underground
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bank — of a river
  16. board — to get on
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bank — for money
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. snap — to click
  21. bank — for money
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. foot — a measure
  24. ground — a position

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