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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. track — a song
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. bark — to shout
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. tube — a container
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. kid — to tease
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rule — government
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. track — a path
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. rule — a law
  22. tube — the underground
  23. track — to keep track
  24. kid — child

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