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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. craft — a skill
  4. cell — a phone
  5. bank — for money
  6. cell — in biology
  7. stock — shares
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stock — goods
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. snap — to click
  15. bulb — for light
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bank — for money
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. craft — boats
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bank — of a river
  24. rush — hurry

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