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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 · bay · fall · wake · arm · patient · lean · racket

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fall — the season
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wake — a trail
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. arm — part of the body

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