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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: pit · rock · mug · band · kid · bay · temple · fall

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. pit — in a race
  4. fall — to drop
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mug — a cup
  8. pit — a hole
  9. band — a ring
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. fall — the season
  12. mug — a face
  13. kid — to tease
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rock — music
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rock — a stone
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. band — a music group
  23. kid — child
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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