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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. charge — electricity
  8. drill — army training
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rock — music
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cap — a hat
  13. rock — a stone
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. charge — in control
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — of ice
  21. drill — the tool
  22. content — happy
  23. drill — a practice
  24. charge — a price

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