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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bank — for money
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. pass — a permit
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. toast — bread
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bank — for money
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. club — for golf
  15. bank — of a river
  16. club — a group
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. club — for dancing
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — an eyelash

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