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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. game — a match
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. kid — child
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. chest — of your body
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. firm — decided
  18. game — wild animals
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. kid — to tease
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. chest — of your body

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