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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 120 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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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. craft — a handicraft
  4. fork — in a road
  5. wake — a trail
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. charge — a price
  20. craft — boats
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  24. racket — for tennis

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