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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 120 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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fall — to drop
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. shower — to wash
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — the season
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. key — in music
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. craft — a skill
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. race — humankind
  16. craft — boats
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — the arms race
  19. key — for a lock
  20. shower — rain
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. key — the most important part

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