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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. board — to get on
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bore — to drill
  7. craft — boats
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. stem — to come from
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bore — to tire
  15. board — a committee
  16. cell — in biology
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. cell — a phone
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. ball — a great time
  24. craft — a skill

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