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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. track — to keep track
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. cap — a lid
  5. perch — the fish
  6. club — a group
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of law
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. track — a song
  12. club — for golf
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. cap — of ice
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. pit — a hole
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pit — in a race
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cap — a hat
  23. track — a path
  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