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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: bay · mark · straw · file · date · rock · temple · bear

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. file — a document
  4. date — the fruit
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bear — the animal
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. file — a tool
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rock — a stone
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. mark — a grade
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. rock — music
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. mark — a trace
  21. file — a line of people
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bear — the animal

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