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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. mug — a cup
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fall — to drop
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ground — a position
  7. mine — for digging
  8. craft — boats
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a face
  13. fall — to drop
  14. ground — the earth
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. ground — crushed
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. deal — to handle
  22. fall — the season
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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