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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: rush · temple · jam · pound · wake · lean · craft · bark

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. pound — a weight
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. craft — boats
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bark — to shout
  20. lean — thin
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. rush — hurry
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — a trail

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