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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. cap — a hat
  3. firm — steady
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. pop — to visit
  9. capital — a city
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. capital — money
  14. pop — soda
  15. toast — bread
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. firm — a company
  19. pop — music
  20. firm — decided
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. cap — a lid
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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