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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: craft · hide · roll · bound · rest · firm · temple · clip

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. clip — to cut
  3. bound — certain
  4. clip — for paper
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. roll — a cake
  7. craft — boats
  8. roll — a list
  9. bound — obliged
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. clip — a video
  12. craft — a skill
  13. rest — what's left
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. firm — a company
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. rest — what's left
  19. firm — steady
  20. rest — a break
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bound — tied together
  24. firm — decided

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