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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: sharp · pop · spring · jam · craft · mouse · temple · wake

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. craft — boats
  3. spring — of water
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. pop — soda
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wake — a trail
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pop — to visit
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. spring — a coil
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. sharp — clever
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pop — music
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wake — before a funeral

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