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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. stock — goods
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bass — the fish
  8. craft — boats
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. lean — thin
  14. bass — low music
  15. craft — a skill
  16. rush — hurry
  17. hand — help
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. stock — shares
  21. lean — to bend
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. hand — in cards

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