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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. net — for catching
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — a trail
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. lie — to recline
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cap — a hat
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. net — after costs
  18. club — for golf
  19. stand — to bear
  20. ball — a dance
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for dancing
  24. net — in sport

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