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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. swing — music
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. land — ground
  6. bat — the animal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. land — a country
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. swing — in golf
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. land — to come down
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. swing — to play on
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. cue — for pool
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bat — in an idiom

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