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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: temple · craft · degree · can · staff · current · toast · fall

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. staff — employees
  3. current — of water
  4. degree — an amount
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. degree — temperature
  9. can — to be able to
  10. fall — to drop
  11. current — electric
  12. staff — a stick
  13. degree — from a university
  14. current — happening now
  15. can — a tin
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. craft — boats
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. staff — employees
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — the most admired

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