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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bulb — for light
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. lean — thin
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. game — wild animals
  9. rash — hasty
  10. mate — a partner
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. rash — a series
  17. chair — a leader
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. game — a match
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mate — a friend

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