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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: craft · temple · leaves · drill · bank · net · stock · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. net — for catching
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. net — in sport
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bank — of a river
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. net — after costs
  17. bank — for money
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. stock — goods
  20. drill — a practice
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bank — for money
  24. stock — shares

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