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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 120 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 · mouse · trunk · suit · shower · row · temple · saw

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. suit — to fit
  5. shower — to wash
  6. suit — clothes
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. row — to paddle
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. suit — in cards
  13. row — a line
  14. craft — a skill
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. shower — rain
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. row — a quarrel

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