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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.

Words on the sheet
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 · perch · pit · squash · bass · stock · wound · temple

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bass — low music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pit — in a race
  7. wound — an injury
  8. squash — the sport
  9. squash — to crush
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. pit — a hole
  13. perch — the fish
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. wound — an injury
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bass — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. stock — goods
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. craft — boats
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. temple — a place of worship

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