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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: net · craft · temple · nail · jam · drill · saw · toast

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. craft — a skill
  3. drill — the tool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. toast — bread
  11. saw — the tool
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. drill — army training
  16. net — in sport
  17. saw — the tool
  18. craft — boats
  19. drill — a practice
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. net — for catching
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. net — after costs
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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