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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. craft — boats
  4. suit — to fit
  5. row — to paddle
  6. suit — clothes
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. swing — to play on
  10. lean — thin
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. chip — to eat
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. last — to go on
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. suit — in cards
  18. lean — to bend
  19. last — finally
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. chip — for betting
  23. craft — a skill
  24. row — a line

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