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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 116 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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. cap — a hat
  3. kid — child
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. ground — a position
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. field — for sport
  10. mug — to rob
  11. field — a subject
  12. cap — a lid
  13. kid — to tease
  14. mug — a face
  15. cap — of ice
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mug — a cup
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. field — farmland

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