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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. chest — of your body
  4. plane — a tool
  5. season — in sport
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. chest — a box
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. chest — of your body
  19. season — of the year
  20. fall — to drop
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fall — the season
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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