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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. cold — an illness
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. cold — not warm
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. mine — for digging
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. roll — a list
  24. lie — to recline

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