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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cap — of ice
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. craft — a skill
  5. track — to keep track
  6. kid — child
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cap — a lid
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. kid — to tease
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. date — the fruit
  19. track — a song
  20. cap — a hat
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. track — a path
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. craft — boats

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