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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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. key — in music
  8. key — for a lock
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — a gift
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. toast — bread
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. chest — a box
  21. chest — of your body
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. present — there

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