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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bear — the animal
  5. firm — steady
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bear — the animal
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. snap — to click
  16. firm — a company
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. firm — decided
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. craft — a skill
  24. leaves — of a tree

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