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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: bass · chest · temple · hide · craft · roll · suit · drill

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. roll — a cake
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. suit — in cards
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. craft — boats
  8. drill — the tool
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — of your body
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. chest — a box
  18. suit — clothes
  19. drill — a practice
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. suit — to fit
  23. drill — army training
  24. temple — a place of worship

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