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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 · firm · row · craft · march · suit · last · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. last — finally
  3. craft — boats
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. march — the month
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. suit — in cards
  8. firm — a company
  9. last — to go on
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. craft — a skill
  15. suit — clothes
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. row — to paddle
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. suit — to fit
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. last — final
  24. row — a line

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