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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. land — a country
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. spell — a short time
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. squash — to crush
  12. land — ground
  13. spell — letters
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. cap — a lid
  16. lie — to recline
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. land — to come down
  19. pass — a permit
  20. cap — a hat
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. squash — the sport
  24. spell — magic

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