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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. season — of the year
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. key — for a lock
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. craft — boats
  8. key — in music
  9. season — in sport
  10. rest — a break
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rest — what's left
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rest — what's left
  17. key — the most important part
  18. wave — with your hand

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