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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.

Make a worksheet

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: temple · craft · coach · march · bound · vault · mine · bowl

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. march — music
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — obliged
  9. craft — boats
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. march — the month
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. mine — for digging
  19. march — the month
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bowl — a dish

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