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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. cap — of ice
  3. row — a line
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. cap — a hat
  12. suit — clothes
  13. hand — help
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. stand — to bear
  17. land — to come down
  18. suit — in cards
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. hand — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. land — a country
  23. land — ground
  24. wake — before a funeral

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