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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 120 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. kick — in football
  3. chest — of your body
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. chest — of your body
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. rest — a break
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rest — what's left
  13. hand — in cards
  14. sharp — clever
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. hand — help
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. chest — a box
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bay — a horse colour

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