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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. snap — to click
  4. rest — what's left
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. cell — in biology
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rest — a break
  15. cap — a lid
  16. present — there
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. present — the time now
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. ball — a great time
  21. present — a gift
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. ball — a dance

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