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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. pit — a hole
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. band — a ring
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pit — in a race
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cue — a signal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wound — an injury
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wound — an injury
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. band — a music group

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