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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. spell — letters
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. craft — a skill
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. chest — of your body
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. spell — a short time
  10. chest — of your body
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. chest — a box
  13. bank — for money
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. toast — bread
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bank — of a river
  21. craft — boats
  22. bank — for money
  23. spell — magic
  24. craft — a handicraft

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