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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: fan · object · pass · craft · stem · row · ball · temple

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. object — a thing
  6. craft — boats
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. object — to protest
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. craft — a skill
  11. row — to paddle
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. row — a line
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pass — a permit
  24. temple — a place of worship

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