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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 · firm · fan · temple · fall · craft · field · roll

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  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. craft — a skill
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fall — the season
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. field — for sport
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. roll — a list
  16. firm — steady
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. roll — a cake
  20. field — a subject
  21. craft — boats
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. field — farmland
  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