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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. mate — a friend
  5. craft — boats
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pound — a weight
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — a law
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bass — low music
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mate — to breed
  19. key — the most important part
  20. lean — thin
  21. mate — a partner
  22. lean — to bend
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. key — in music

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