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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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Word bank
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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: mate · mouse · bay · cap · staff · nail · game · temple

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  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. staff — employees
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. game — a match
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. game — wild animals
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. cap — a hat
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mate — a friend
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a lid
  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