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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. club — for golf
  10. craft — boats
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. fork — in a road
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. club — a group
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. club — for dancing
  18. chip — for betting
  19. cue — a hint
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. craft — a skill
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. staff — a stick

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