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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. staff — employees
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. field — a subject
  5. vault — a safe
  6. field — for sport
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a line
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. staff — employees
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. kid — to tease
  20. kid — child
  21. staff — a stick
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. field — farmland
  24. row — a quarrel

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