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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. chest — of your body
  3. present — the time now
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. chest — a box
  8. present — a gift
  9. craft — boats
  10. chest — of your body
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. craft — a skill
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. present — there
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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