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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 · suit · temple · net · club · craft · roll · row

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. suit — in cards
  3. net — after costs
  4. club — for dancing
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. roll — a list
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. club — for golf
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. suit — clothes
  17. sharp — clever
  18. row — to paddle
  19. club — a group
  20. craft — boats
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. suit — to fit
  24. craft — a skill

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