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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bank — for money
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bass — low music
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — of the year
  10. bass — the fish
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. season — in sport
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. content — happy
  15. craft — boats
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. craft — a skill
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bank — of a river
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bank — for money
  24. content — the amount

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