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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.

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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — a friend
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — a skill
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. chip — for betting
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. mate — to breed
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. craft — boats
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. chip — to eat
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. wave — with your hand

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