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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rest — a break
  9. craft — boats
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. ball — a great time
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. degree — from a university
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. degree — an amount
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rest — what's left
  19. degree — temperature
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. ball — a dance
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bowl — a dish

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