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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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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 · pop · land · craft · mark · current · saw · dip

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. land — ground
  3. pop — music
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. current — electric
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pop — soda
  10. craft — a skill
  11. mark — a grade
  12. current — of water
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. current — happening now
  17. land — a country
  18. mark — a trace
  19. dip — to sink
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pop — to visit
  23. land — to come down
  24. temple — a place of worship

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