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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 · shower · temple · patient · craft · bank · saw · bear

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bank — of a river
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bank — for money
  6. craft — a skill
  7. roll — a list
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. saw — the tool
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. shower — rain
  13. bank — for money
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. saw — the tool
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. craft — boats
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. shower — to wash
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bear — the animal
  24. patient — a sick person

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