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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wound — an injury
  13. stand — to bear
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. plane — a tool
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. sharp — clever
  24. plane — in geometry

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