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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. club — for dancing
  5. wind — moving air
  6. band — a music group
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. club — a group
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. club — for golf
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. wind — moving air
  22. band — a ring
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pitcher — a jug

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