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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
468
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: mine · craft · pass · fall · ball · temple · leaves · fan

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. mine — for digging
  3. craft — boats
  4. fall — to drop
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. fall — the season
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. craft — a skill
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. fall — to drop
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pass — a permit
  24. mine — an explosive

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