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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.

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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: temple · bat · craft · bank · degree · wave · mug · pass

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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. wave — a sudden rise
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. degree — temperature
  7. mug — to rob
  8. degree — an amount
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. mug — a face
  11. bat — the animal
  12. craft — boats
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. pass — a permit
  20. mug — a cup
  21. degree — from a university
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bank — for money
  24. craft — a skill

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