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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: march · land · temple · ball · spell · craft · stick · club

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. club — for golf
  3. land — ground
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. spell — a short time
  7. march — music
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. craft — a skill
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. spell — letters
  13. march — the month
  14. land — a country
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. spell — magic
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. land — to come down
  19. craft — boats
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. club — for dancing
  22. ball — a great time
  23. march — the month
  24. club — a group

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