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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. craft — boats
  4. suit — clothes
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. suit — to fit
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. net — for catching
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. craft — a skill
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. net — after costs
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. band — a ring
  22. suit — in cards
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. band — a music group

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