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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bulb — for light
  4. net — in sport
  5. rule — government
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — to paddle
  8. cap — a lid
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rock — music
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — for catching
  20. rule — a law
  21. row — a line
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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