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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: bass · craft · bulb · rash · temple · stand · rush · drill

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. rash — hasty
  5. drill — army training
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bass — low music
  18. craft — boats
  19. bass — the fish
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rush — a thrill

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