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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — letters
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. mark — a grade
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. mark — a trace
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. spell — magic
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. ball — a dance
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mark — to pay attention

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