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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rock — music
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rock — a stone
  6. ground — the earth
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. present — there
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. ground — a position
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. present — a gift
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. present — the time now
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. date — the fruit
  24. patient — a sick person

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