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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. game — a match
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. lean — to bend
  11. cue — a hint
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rule — government
  16. lean — thin
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rule — a law
  19. cue — a signal
  20. row — to paddle
  21. game — wild animals
  22. row — a line
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. lean — to rest against

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