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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. mark — a grade
  6. season — of the year
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. ball — a dance
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. season — in sport
  11. key — the most important part
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. key — in music
  17. mark — a trace
  18. ball — a great time
  19. craft — a skill
  20. last — finally
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. last — final
  23. craft — boats
  24. key — for a lock

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