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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  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. snap — to snap out of it
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. shower — to wash
  5. stand — to bear
  6. snap — to click
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. shower — rain
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. lie — to recline
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. temple — side of the head
  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