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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: temple · sharp · craft · hide · suit · face · cue · net

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. suit — clothes
  6. craft — a skill
  7. sharp — clever
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. suit — in cards
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. face — part of the head
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. net — for catching
  16. face — to confront
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. net — in sport
  21. cue — a hint
  22. net — after costs
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. face — to point toward

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