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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. mate — a partner
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. mate — a friend
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. mate — to breed
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. march — the month
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pass — a permit
  15. march — music
  16. craft — boats
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a hat
  21. craft — a skill
  22. march — the month
  23. cap — a lid
  24. nail — for a hammer

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