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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. cap — of ice
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. cap — a lid
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. cap — a hat
  8. deal — to handle
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. sharp — clever
  13. rock — a stone
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. chair — a leader
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. rock — music
  24. deal — a big deal

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