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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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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: bowl · spring · hide · craft · lie · temple · fine · kid

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. spring — of water
  5. kid — child
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. fine — all right
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. spring — a coil
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. spring — the season
  16. craft — a skill
  17. kid — to tease
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. craft — boats
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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