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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. pitch — completely
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. cell — in biology
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. present — a gift
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. deal — to handle
  16. fork — in a road
  17. craft — boats
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. cell — a phone
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. present — the time now
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. present — there

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