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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  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. temple — side of the head
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. cell — a phone
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. cell — in biology
  7. prune — to trim
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. firm — a company
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. firm — steady
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. chair — a leader
  19. firm — decided
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. prune — to trim
  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