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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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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 · field · cue · race · craft · suit · key · perch

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. race — the arms race
  3. key — in music
  4. race — humankind
  5. field — a subject
  6. cue — a signal
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. race — a contest
  9. field — for sport
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — a skill
  12. key — the most important part
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. field — farmland
  20. suit — to fit
  21. key — for a lock
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — for pool

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