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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: wake · wave · ground · temple · jam · chest · rash · craft

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  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. chest — of your body
  2. rash — a series
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. craft — a skill
  6. chest — a box
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. craft — boats
  10. chest — of your body
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ground — the earth
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. wake — a trail
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. ground — a position
  23. wake — before a funeral
  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