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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 120 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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mark — a trace
  4. ball — a great time
  5. craft — boats
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. wind — moving air
  9. ball — a dance
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — a lid
  12. shower — to wash
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. wind — moving air
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. cap — of ice
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. shower — rain
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. mark — a grade

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