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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. toast — bread
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mate — a partner
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mate — a friend
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. charge — in control
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. charge — a price
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. mate — to breed
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. hand — in cards
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. craft — boats

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