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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. spell — a short time
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. drill — army training
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. mark — a trace
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. drill — the tool
  14. suit — in cards
  15. drill — a practice
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — magic
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. temple — side of the head

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