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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  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. suit — to fit
  2. staff — a stick
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. spring — a coil
  5. suit — clothes
  6. file — a line of people
  7. craft — a skill
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. staff — employees
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. suit — in cards
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. staff — employees
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. file — a document
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. file — a tool
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — the season
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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