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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: mouse · temple · nail · court · band · craft · straw · pass

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. court — for sport
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pass — a permit
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. band — a ring
  16. court — of law
  17. band — a music group
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. craft — boats
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. court — of a king
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. nail — for a hammer

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