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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 120 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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bear — the animal
  3. face — part of the head
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. face — to point toward
  6. game — a match
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. perch — the fish
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. key — the most important part
  15. craft — a skill
  16. game — wild animals
  17. key — in music
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. craft — boats
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bear — the animal
  22. key — for a lock
  23. face — to confront
  24. perch — for a bird

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