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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. craft — boats
  4. net — for catching
  5. mate — a friend
  6. cue — a hint
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cue — for pool
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. craft — a skill
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. net — after costs
  14. cue — a signal
  15. mate — a partner
  16. snap — to click
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — a stone
  20. suit — clothes
  21. net — in sport
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rock — music
  24. mate — to breed

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