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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. net — in sport
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. toast — bread
  9. stand — to bear
  10. net — after costs
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. squash — to crush
  14. march — the month
  15. march — the month
  16. net — for catching
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — a hat
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. march — music

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