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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: wake · content · snap · bank · temple · craft · bass · land

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. land — to come down
  3. bank — for money
  4. content — the amount
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. land — ground
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bank — of a river
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bank — for money
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bass — the fish
  19. content — happy
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bass — low music
  24. snap — to click

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