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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: temple · bay · racket · pass · hand · season · arm · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. hand — in cards
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. season — of the year
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. season — in sport
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. hand — help
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to spend time

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