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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: jam · temple · kick · bound · fine · wound · bay · bat

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. kick — in football
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — all right
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bound — obliged
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. bat — the animal
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bound — certain
  24. fine — a penalty

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