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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. can — a tin
  6. face — to point toward
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. ground — crushed
  9. fork — in a road
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pound — a weight
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. ground — a position
  19. face — to confront
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. can — to be able to
  22. craft — boats
  23. ground — the earth
  24. face — part of the head

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