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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wound — an injury
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. can — a tin
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bark — to shout
  9. ball — a great time
  10. can — to be able to
  11. craft — boats
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. can — a tin
  15. wound — an injury
  16. saw — the tool
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. craft — a skill
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a dance
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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