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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. drill — army training
  7. face — to confront
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. craft — boats
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. squash — the sport
  13. saw — the tool
  14. craft — a skill
  15. squash — to crush
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. drill — a practice
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. drill — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to point toward
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bulb — for light

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