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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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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: temple · rest · staff · hide · tube · arm · bay · ground

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. ground — a position
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. staff — a stick
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rest — a break
  16. ground — crushed
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. ground — the earth
  20. staff — employees
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. staff — employees

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