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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. object — an aim
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. object — to protest
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. craft — boats
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. court — for sport
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. court — of law
  16. mine — for digging
  17. ground — crushed
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. ground — the earth
  21. court — of a king
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. object — a thing
  24. hide — animal skin

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