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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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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: suit · temple · bat · fan · craft · pound · mouse · fall

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — a weight
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. craft — boats
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. suit — in cards
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. craft — a skill
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fall — the season
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. suit — to fit

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