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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 · chair · jam · temple · band · net · roll · craft

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. band — a ring
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. chair — a leader
  6. net — in sport
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. net — for catching
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. roll — a list
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. band — a music group
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. craft — a skill
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. roll — a cake
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. craft — boats
  24. net — after costs

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