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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.

Make a worksheet

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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — help
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — letters
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. spell — magic
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. craft — boats
  13. bass — low music
  14. ground — a position
  15. bass — the fish
  16. ground — crushed
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. craft — a skill
  21. ground — the earth
  22. hand — in cards
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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