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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 laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. staff — employees
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bat — the animal
  9. chest — of your body
  10. staff — employees
  11. tube — the underground
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. tube — a container
  15. chest — a box
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bulb — for light
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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