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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. present — there
  4. pitch — completely
  5. present — the time now
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. kick — in football
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to tire
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — of ice
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. snap — to click
  17. bore — to drill
  18. present — a gift
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a tree

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