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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 120 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. band — a music group
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. band — a ring
  22. pit — a hole
  23. fine — all right
  24. cap — a hat

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