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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 120 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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. cue — a hint
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. hand — in cards
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. craft — boats
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. cue — for pool
  16. hand — help
  17. cue — a signal
  18. kid — child
  19. bulb — for light
  20. craft — a skill
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cabinet — ministers

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