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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: cue · pass · land · lean · mine · bay · arm · temple

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  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. bay — to keep at bay
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. land — a country
  4. mine — for digging
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lean — to bend
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. land — to come down
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. lean — thin
  17. cue — a hint
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. cue — a signal
  21. land — ground
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pass — a permit
  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