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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: content · craft · arm · nail · hide · lie · temple · rash

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — a skill
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. content — happy
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. content — the amount
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. rash — a series
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. craft — boats

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