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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: pound · degree · craft · present · temple · jam

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. degree — temperature
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. present — the time now
  5. craft — boats
  6. degree — from a university
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. degree — an amount
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. present — a gift
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. present — there
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pound — a weight

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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