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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: pound · hand · bulb · board · rest · bound · craft · temple

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. hand — help
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. rest — what's left
  6. board — a committee
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. bulb — for light
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. rest — a break
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. craft — boats
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bulb — for light
  17. board — to get on
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — tied together
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. pound — a weight

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