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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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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: craft · pound · rock · club · sharp · temple · cabinet · hide

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. sharp — clever
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. club — a group
  13. rock — music
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — boats
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pound — a weight
  18. club — for dancing
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. club — for golf
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rock — to move gently

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