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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. craft — a skill
  4. march — music
  5. game — a match
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rock — music
  8. craft — boats
  9. date — the fruit
  10. rock — a stone
  11. present — there
  12. bass — low music
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. march — the month
  19. march — the month
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. present — a gift
  22. bass — the fish
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. game — wild animals

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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