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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. stock — goods
  11. craft — boats
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. craft — a skill
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. suit — to fit
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rush — hurry
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bulb — for light
  22. content — the amount
  23. stock — shares
  24. content — happy

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