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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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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: mouse · temple · rash · snap · craft · pound · bowl · nail

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. rash — hasty
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pound — a weight
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. craft — boats
  14. rash — a series
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. snap — to click
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. craft — a skill
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. mouse — for a computer

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