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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 120 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. craft — a skill
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. suit — to fit
  7. lean — to bend
  8. craft — boats
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. lean — thin
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wind — moving air
  16. suit — clothes
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mine — for digging
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — an agreement

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