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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. craft — a skill
  4. present — there
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stock — goods
  7. last — finally
  8. craft — boats
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. present — the time now
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. present — a gift
  16. stock — shares
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. last — final
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. last — to go on
  24. prune — to trim

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