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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. mate — to breed
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. present — the time now
  8. suit — to fit
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. tear — from crying
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. suit — in cards
  13. tear — from crying
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. craft — boats
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pitch — completely
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. present — there
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. tear — to rip

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