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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. capital — a city
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. degree — an amount
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. cap — a lid
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. dip — to sink
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. lie — to recline
  15. cap — a hat
  16. capital — money
  17. degree — from a university
  18. degree — temperature
  19. cap — of ice
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a hole
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. dip — to dunk

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