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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. band — a music group
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. craft — boats
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. band — a ring
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. craft — a skill
  10. sharp — clever
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. spring — of water
  13. spring — the season
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. toast — bread
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. spring — a coil

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