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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to tire
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. net — after costs
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. kid — child
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. kid — to tease
  16. cap — of ice
  17. branch — a division
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bore — to drill
  20. net — in sport
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. net — for catching
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — a lid

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