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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. craft — a skill
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chest — of your body
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. lean — to bend
  16. chest — a box
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lean — thin
  19. lie — to recline
  20. net — after costs
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. craft — boats
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. net — in sport

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