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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: field · tube · temple · craft · racket · sharp · bass · nail

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. craft — a skill
  3. tube — a container
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. field — for sport
  8. sharp — clever
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. craft — boats
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — low music
  18. field — a subject
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. field — farmland
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. racket — a loud noise

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