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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: key · temple · sharp · trunk · wave · pit · field · craft

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. field — a subject
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. key — for a lock
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. field — farmland
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pit — a hole
  21. sharp — clever
  22. field — for sport
  23. pit — in a race
  24. sharp — with an edge

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