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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 120 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: temple · face · can · craft · ruler · snap · bat · nail

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. can — a tin
  4. craft — boats
  5. face — part of the head
  6. snap — to click
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. face — to point toward
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. craft — a skill
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. can — a tin
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. face — to confront
  22. bat — the animal
  23. can — to be able to
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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