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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: temple · cell · leaves · nail · date · craft · spring · drill

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. cell — in biology
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. craft — boats
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. spring — a coil
  13. cell — a phone
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. craft — a skill
  16. drill — army training
  17. date — the fruit
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. drill — the tool
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. spring — of water
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. drill — a practice
  24. temple — a place of worship

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