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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. cap — a lid
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. chip — for betting
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. cell — in biology
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cell — a phone
  15. bear — the animal
  16. board — a committee
  17. cap — a hat
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. cap — of ice
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. chip — to eat

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