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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. branch — a division
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. race — the arms race
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. craft — boats
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. lie — to recline
  16. ball — a great time
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. race — a contest
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. craft — a skill
  22. ball — a dance
  23. race — humankind
  24. bulb — for light

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