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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  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. bay — a part of the sea
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. firm — steady
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. game — a match
  8. plane — a tool
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — in a road
  11. firm — decided
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. stand — to bear
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. firm — a company
  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