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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  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. temple — side of the head
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. track — a song
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. band — a ring
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a path
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pass — a permit
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. tube — the underground
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. tube — a container
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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