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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: race · wake · roll · craft · nail · temple · lash · cabinet

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. roll — a list
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. craft — a skill
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. race — humankind
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. craft — boats
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wake — a trail
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. race — a contest
  23. roll — a cake
  24. race — the arms race

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