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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.

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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: snap · arm · pound · row · stand · craft · temple · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. craft — a skill
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. craft — boats
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. stand — to bear
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. snap — to click
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. row — a line
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pound — a weight
  21. ball — a dance
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — to paddle
  24. arm — part of the body

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