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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: craft · march · game · fan · bank · temple · cap · hide

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. game — wild animals
  3. march — the month
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. cap — of ice
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. craft — boats
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bank — for money
  18. game — a match
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. march — the month
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. cap — a lid

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