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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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 — to shout
  3. land — a country
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. land — to come down
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. wax — to grow
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a signal
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. game — wild animals
  18. land — ground
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. game — a match
  24. wax — in the ear

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