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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. firm — steady
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. saw — the tool
  8. firm — decided
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — clever
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stand — to bear
  13. march — the month
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. kid — child
  17. march — the month
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. kid — to tease
  21. firm — a company
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. march — music

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