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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fork · temple · game · craft · pop · lash · leaves · saw

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pop — to visit
  5. game — a match
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. pop — soda
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. game — wild animals
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. craft — a skill
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pop — music
  18. craft — boats
  19. saw — the tool
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — in a road
  23. saw — the tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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