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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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. pop — to visit
  3. pop — soda
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. fine — high quality
  6. game — a match
  7. track — a song
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. game — wild animals
  11. cap — a hat
  12. fall — to drop
  13. track — a path
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — the season
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. pop — music
  18. cap — of ice
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cap — a lid
  24. hide — to keep secret

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