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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. scale — in music
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. land — to come down
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. craft — boats
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. land — ground
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. craft — a skill
  19. land — a country
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. leaves — of a tree

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