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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. snap — to click
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cue — for pool
  12. craft — a skill
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. cue — a signal
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. bulb — for light
  20. march — music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. cue — a hint
  24. leaves — lets stay

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