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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. race — a contest
  8. bark — to shout
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. race — the arms race
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. foot — a measure
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. race — humankind
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bark — of a tree

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