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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 · firm · wake · jam · fine · plane · bay · straw

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. firm — steady
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — all right
  11. plane — a tool
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. firm — a company
  23. wake — a trail
  24. firm — decided

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