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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. face — to point toward
  4. present — a gift
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. craft — a skill
  9. present — the time now
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. present — there
  12. craft — boats
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. face — part of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wound — an injury
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. plane — a tool
  20. wound — an injury
  21. face — to confront
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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