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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. land — ground
  4. wound — an injury
  5. staff — employees
  6. land — to come down
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. craft — a skill
  9. ball — a great time
  10. staff — employees
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wound — an injury
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bound — tied together
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. craft — boats
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bound — certain
  22. staff — a stick
  23. land — a country
  24. arm — a part of something

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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