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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. track — a song
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. craft — boats
  17. stand — to bear
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. track — a path
  21. saw — the tool
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. track — to keep track

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