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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — a series
  5. row — to paddle
  6. cap — a lid
  7. firm — decided
  8. shower — to wash
  9. firm — a company
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. firm — steady
  15. cap — a hat
  16. shower — rain
  17. row — a line
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — on your feet

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