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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: march · lean · craft · face · hide · bank · temple · spell

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. face — to confront
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bank — for money
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. spell — a short time
  8. march — music
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. march — the month
  11. lean — thin
  12. bank — of a river
  13. lean — to bend
  14. spell — letters
  15. craft — a skill
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bank — for money
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. face — part of the head
  20. march — the month
  21. craft — boats
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. spell — magic

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