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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. hand — help
  4. dip — to sink
  5. club — for golf
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. scale — in music
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. club — a group
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. craft — boats
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. craft — a skill
  18. shower — to wash
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. club — for dancing
  22. shower — rain
  23. scale — size or range
  24. temple — a place of worship

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