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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 was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. craft — boats
  3. spell — letters
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cell — in biology
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. cap — a lid
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. key — in music
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cell — a phone
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. cap — of ice
  24. temple — a place of worship

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