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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. rock — a stone
  4. march — the month
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. craft — boats
  7. rock — music
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. march — music
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — hasty
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. march — the month
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pit — in a race
  24. rash — on the skin

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