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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bound — tied together
  3. lean — to bend
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cap — a lid
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — in sport
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. lean — thin
  13. toast — bread
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bound — obliged
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bound — certain
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. lean — to rest against

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