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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 · arm · scale · fall · bay · temple · mouse · present

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — there
  7. present — a gift
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. cue — a signal
  11. fall — to drop
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. fall — the season
  17. scale — in music
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bay — a horse colour

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