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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. tube — a container
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. ground — the earth
  6. cap — a hat
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. cue — a hint
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. tube — the underground
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a signal
  13. face — to confront
  14. ground — a position
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. ground — crushed
  17. stand — to bear
  18. branch — a division
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. cap — a lid
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. face — part of the head
  23. cap — of ice
  24. face — to point toward

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