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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. suit — clothes
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. spell — letters
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. fall — to drop
  10. spell — a short time
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mine — for digging
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. spell — magic
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. hide — to keep secret

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