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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bound — obliged
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. roll — a list
  9. scale — in music
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — boats
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. scale — size or range
  16. roll — a cake
  17. board — to get on
  18. bound — certain
  19. spring — of water
  20. spring — a coil
  21. bound — tied together
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. board — a committee

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