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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. ground — crushed
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fine — all right
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. cap — of ice
  16. ground — the earth
  17. kid — child
  18. fine — high quality
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. cap — a lid
  21. ground — a position
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. kid — to tease

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