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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: bowl · nail · pound · temple · current · sharp · craft · bank

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bank — for money
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. craft — a skill
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bank — for money
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bank — of a river
  14. current — electric
  15. sharp — clever
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. current — happening now
  20. craft — boats
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. current — of water
  24. bowl — a football final

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