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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 116 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. drill — the tool
  5. court — of law
  6. cap — a lid
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. court — for sport
  11. cap — a hat
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. object — an aim
  14. chair — a leader
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. drill — a practice
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. court — of a king
  19. drill — army training
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. object — a thing
  22. cap — of ice
  23. object — to protest
  24. dip — to sink

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