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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: nail · bank · temple · band · chest · fine · craft · saw

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fine — all right
  4. craft — boats
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. band — a music group
  10. chest — of your body
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. chest — a box
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bank — for money
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bank — for money
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. craft — a skill
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fine — high quality
  23. chest — of your body
  24. band — a ring

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