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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. game — wild animals
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. craft — boats
  5. game — a match
  6. craft — a skill
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. club — for dancing
  9. cell — in biology
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. club — for golf
  12. row — a line
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. club — a group
  20. cell — a phone
  21. chair — a leader
  22. row — to paddle
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. chair — a professorship

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