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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
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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: ball · lean · deal · temple · mark · craft · present · bore

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. ball — a dance
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bore — to drill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — a skill
  10. present — there
  11. present — the time now
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. present — a gift
  15. ball — a great time
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. bore — to tire
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. craft — boats
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. deal — to handle

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