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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. land — ground
  3. shower — to wash
  4. staff — employees
  5. land — a country
  6. land — to come down
  7. shower — rain
  8. firm — decided
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. cap — a hat
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. staff — a stick
  22. wake — a trail
  23. staff — employees
  24. cap — of ice

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