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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. cap — a hat
  3. stand — to bear
  4. squash — to crush
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. cap — of ice
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — in control
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. charge — electricity
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. toast — bread
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. cap — a lid

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