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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. board — to get on
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. board — a committee
  7. game — a match
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. toast — bread
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. kid — child
  18. cap — a lid
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. game — wild animals
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — of ice
  23. deal — to handle
  24. kid — to tease

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