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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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. club — a group
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bound — certain
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bound — obliged
  8. cap — of ice
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. cap — a lid
  11. can — a tin
  12. chip — to eat
  13. club — for dancing
  14. chip — for betting
  15. cap — a hat
  16. can — a tin
  17. club — for golf
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. dip — to sink
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bound — tied together
  24. chair — a professorship

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