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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: coach · land · craft · chest · temple · net · jam · lash

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. chest — a box
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. craft — boats
  11. net — after costs
  12. land — a country
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. chest — of your body
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. land — ground
  20. craft — a skill
  21. net — in sport
  22. land — to come down
  23. chest — of your body
  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