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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 120 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fall — to drop
  4. land — a country
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. land — to come down
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. land — ground
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. fall — the season
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. vault — a safe
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. fall — to drop

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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