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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bear — the animal
  5. current — of water
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. cap — of ice
  11. current — electric
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. track — to keep track
  14. wind — moving air
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. track — a song
  18. current — happening now
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. track — a path
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wind — to turn a key

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