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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. craft — boats
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. foot — a measure
  8. kid — child
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. kid — to tease
  12. key — the most important part
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. cap — of ice
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. craft — a skill
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cap — a hat
  24. key — for a lock

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