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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.

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: ball · ground · field · craft · arm · bass · deal · temple

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bass — low music
  4. field — a subject
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ground — the earth
  7. field — for sport
  8. ball — a great time
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. ground — crushed
  11. field — farmland
  12. craft — boats
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. craft — a skill
  18. ball — a dance
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. deal — to handle
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. ground — a position
  24. temple — side of the head

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