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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: shower · root · can · lean · temple · craft · bat · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. lean — to bend
  4. root — of a word
  5. can — a tin
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bat — the animal
  9. shower — rain
  10. craft — boats
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. lean — thin
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. can — a tin
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. shower — to wash
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. craft — a skill

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