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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. ground — crushed
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. ground — a position
  5. bulb — for light
  6. charge — electricity
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. ground — the earth
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. march — the month
  15. march — the month
  16. march — music
  17. charge — a price
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. row — a line
  20. bulb — for light
  21. craft — boats
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. charge — in control
  24. row — a quarrel

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