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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. march — music
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. march — the month
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cold — an illness
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. deal — to handle
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cold — not warm
  15. craft — boats
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. craft — a skill
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. march — the month
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. temple — side 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