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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. mark — a grade
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. game — a match
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mark — a trace
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. game — wild animals
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. sharp — clever
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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