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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. staff — employees
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. tear — to rip
  5. cap — of ice
  6. lean — thin
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. tear — from crying
  9. toast — bread
  10. staff — employees
  11. chest — a box
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. chest — of your body
  14. staff — a stick
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. lean — to bend
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. chest — of your body
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — a hat
  24. wave — with your hand

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