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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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. cap — a lid
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. court — for sport
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. can — a tin
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. scale — in music
  9. staff — employees
  10. cap — a hat
  11. can — to be able to
  12. staff — employees
  13. scale — size or range
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. track — a song
  16. court — of law
  17. track — a path
  18. cap — of ice
  19. staff — a stick
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. track — to keep track
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. court — of a king
  24. can — a tin

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