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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bear — the animal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a line
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. clip — a video
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. spell — magic
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. clip — to cut
  18. spell — letters
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. clip — for paper
  22. bear — the animal
  23. spell — a short time
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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