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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: game · craft · mug · mouse · temple · present · suit · field

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. mug — a cup
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. field — for sport
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. mug — to rob
  10. field — a subject
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. craft — boats
  15. mug — a face
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a match
  18. suit — in cards
  19. present — the time now
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. suit — to fit
  23. field — farmland
  24. craft — a skill

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