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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.

Make a worksheet

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: suit · rash · wound · craft · coach · game · temple · snap

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. wound — an injury
  3. game — a match
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. game — wild animals
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rash — a series
  9. snap — to click
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wound — an injury
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. suit — clothes
  18. craft — a skill
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. craft — boats
  23. rash — hasty
  24. game — a kind of play

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