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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. firm — a company
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — boats
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. firm — decided
  8. lie — to recline
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. charge — a price
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. charge — in control
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. firm — steady
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. charge — electricity
  23. game — a match
  24. fork — in a road

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