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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. club — for dancing
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. suit — in cards
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lie — to recline
  12. suit — to fit
  13. club — for golf
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — an injury
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — in sport
  22. club — a group
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. temple — a place of worship

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