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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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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: stick · rock · cold · craft · pound · foot · board · temple

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — a stone
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. foot — a measure
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. craft — a skill
  16. cold — an illness
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. cold — not warm
  20. craft — boats
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. board — to get on

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