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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. charge — a price
  4. season — of the year
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. charge — in control
  11. mate — a partner
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. charge — electricity
  14. craft — a skill
  15. saw — the tool
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a friend
  20. saw — the tool
  21. branch — a division
  22. season — in sport
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. season — to add flavour

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