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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 spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  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. craft — a skill
  2. charge — in control
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. present — a gift
  6. craft — boats
  7. field — for sport
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. kick — in football
  10. field — farmland
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. field — a subject
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. present — there
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. present — the time now
  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