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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: chip · suit · march · temple · bay · face · lean · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. face — part of the head
  3. chip — to eat
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. march — music
  7. suit — to fit
  8. face — to confront
  9. suit — clothes
  10. lean — thin
  11. chip — for betting
  12. march — the month
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. march — the month
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. lean — to bend
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. face — to point toward

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