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

Word bank: temple · march · court · cap · wind · bay · ruler · bore

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. wind — moving air
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. march — music
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bore — to drill
  14. court — of a king
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wind — moving air
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bore — to tire
  19. court — for sport
  20. cap — of ice
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. court — of law
  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