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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: jam · saw · temple · coach · object · track · pitcher · craft

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. craft — boats
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. object — to protest
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. object — a thing
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. object — an aim
  14. track — a song
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. craft — a skill
  17. track — a path
  18. saw — the tool
  19. track — to keep track
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. saw — the tool
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. coach — a trainer

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