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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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. shower — a meteor shower
  3. face — part of the head
  4. rule — a law
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. face — to confront
  9. shower — to wash
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rule — government
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. face — to point toward
  17. shower — rain
  18. cap — a lid
  19. chair — a leader
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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