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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. cap — of ice
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — help
  15. chip — for betting
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. hand — in cards
  19. chip — to eat
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lean — thin
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. cap — a hat
  24. chip — in a computer

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