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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: craft · temple · lie · lash · last · mouse · pit · court

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. court — for sport
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. last — final
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pit — in a race
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. craft — a skill
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pit — a hole
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. court — of law
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. last — to go on
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. last — finally
  23. craft — boats
  24. court — of a king

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