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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rule · craft · pit · temple · lean · hide

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pit — a hole
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. craft — a skill
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. rule — government
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — in a race
  12. lean — to bend
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. craft — boats
  15. lean — thin
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rule — a law
  18. temple — a place of worship

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