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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 120 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 · temple · coach · bass · deal · mouse · bay · hand

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bass — the fish
  18. craft — a skill
  19. hand — in cards
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. craft — boats
  23. hand — help
  24. bass — low music

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