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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  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. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. last — final
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. last — finally
  6. mate — a friend
  7. can — to be able to
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mark — a trace
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. can — a tin
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. can — a tin
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mate — to breed
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stand — to bear
  22. last — to go on
  23. stand — for spectators
  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