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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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 — a whip stroke
  3. cap — of ice
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. cap — a lid
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. board — to get on
  13. bound — certain
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of a king
  16. board — a committee
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bass — low music
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. court — of law
  24. lean — thin

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