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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. wake — a trail
  3. foot — a measure
  4. kick — in football
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cap — a hat
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. charge — a price
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. charge — in control
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. charge — electricity
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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