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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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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: snap · cue · club · roll · craft · bank · patient · temple

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bank — of a river
  3. roll — a list
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to click
  8. cue — for pool
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. craft — boats
  12. bank — for money
  13. club — for golf
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. club — a group
  17. bank — for money
  18. roll — a cake
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. club — for dancing
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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