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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 · fork · march · cold · bay · arm · perch · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cold — an illness
  3. cold — not warm
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. march — music
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. march — the month
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. perch — the fish
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. fork — in a road
  23. march — the month
  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