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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 120 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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. chair — a leader
  3. scale — size or range
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. land — to come down
  14. bank — for money
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. scale — in music
  21. land — ground
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. land — a country

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