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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. craft — boats
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bank — for money
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. key — in music
  8. bank — for money
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. sharp — clever
  11. craft — a skill
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. key — for a lock
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. mate — a friend
  20. key — the most important part
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bank — of a river
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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