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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. branch — a division
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. game — a match
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. craft — boats
  14. game — wild animals
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. can — a tin
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. wind — moving air
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. wind — moving air
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. temple — a place of worship

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