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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: rock · jam · wake · tube · capital · temple · mark · craft

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. mark — a trace
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. wake — a trail
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. tube — the underground
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. craft — a skill
  16. tube — a container
  17. craft — boats
  18. capital — a city
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — music
  22. mark — a grade
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. rock — a stone

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