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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. dip — to sink
  4. lie — to recline
  5. stand — to bear
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rest — what's left
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. rest — what's left
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bank — for money
  16. kid — to tease
  17. kid — child
  18. bank — for money
  19. cap — a hat
  20. rest — a break
  21. cap — a lid
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stand — on your feet

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