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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pitch — completely
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. craft — a skill
  7. track — a path
  8. drill — army training
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — clothes
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. drill — the tool
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. craft — boats
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. track — a song
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. track — to keep track
  24. drill — a practice

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