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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: foot · lie · bay · cabinet · fork · temple · bat · mine

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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. fork — in a road
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bat — the animal
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. mine — for digging
  11. lie — to recline
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. foot — a measure
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cabinet — ministers

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