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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · pitch · arm · bulb · bark · temple · bound · hand

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — to shout
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bound — certain
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. hand — help
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bound — tied together
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. hand — in cards
  24. pitch — completely

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