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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bulb — for light
  10. present — the time now
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cell — a phone
  13. present — there
  14. branch — a division
  15. craft — boats
  16. present — a gift
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. suit — to fit
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. cell — in biology
  24. chair — a leader

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