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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 116 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ground — crushed
  4. mark — a trace
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cap — a lid
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cap — a hat
  13. charge — a price
  14. ground — a position
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. rest — a break
  17. mark — a grade
  18. charge — in control
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rest — what's left

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