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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: bay · hide · wake · temple · shower · pass · arm · key

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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. hide — to keep secret
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. key — the most important part
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. key — in music
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. shower — to wash
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pass — a permit
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. wake — a trail
  16. shower — rain
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. temple — a place of worship

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