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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.

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: mate · temple · lean · pit · land · foot · hand · craft

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. lean — thin
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. craft — a skill
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. land — a country
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. pit — in a race
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. hand — help
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. foot — a measure
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. craft — boats
  18. pit — a hole
  19. land — ground
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. hand — in cards
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lean — to bend
  24. land — to come down

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