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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. cap — of ice
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — in golf
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. swing — music
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. chest — of your body
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. rest — a break
  17. cap — a hat
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. chest — of your body
  22. wind — moving air
  23. cap — a lid
  24. chest — a box

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