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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. kick — in football
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. craft — boats
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bat — the animal
  15. craft — a skill
  16. drill — a practice
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. drill — army training
  19. net — after costs
  20. drill — the tool
  21. mark — a grade
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. mate — a friend
  24. kick — a thrill

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