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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: temple · jam · cap · tear · spell · hide · craft · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. tear — to rip
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. spell — a short time
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. ball — a dance
  8. craft — boats
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cap — a lid
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. craft — a skill
  13. tear — from crying
  14. cap — a hat
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. tear — from crying
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. ball — a round shape

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