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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: chair · bay · court · bore · stand · key · temple · arm

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. court — for sport
  3. stand — to bear
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — in music
  7. court — of a king
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bore — to tire
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to drill
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. court — of law
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. chair — to sit on

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