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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. court — of law
  3. roll — a list
  4. content — the amount
  5. track — to keep track
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. court — of a king
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. track — a path
  11. staff — a stick
  12. track — a song
  13. court — for sport
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. fine — all right
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. staff — employees
  20. roll — a cake
  21. content — happy
  22. staff — employees
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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