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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mark — a trace
  6. deal — to handle
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. cap — a hat
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mine — for digging
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. cap — of ice
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. suit — clothes
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. scale — in music
  24. cap — a lid

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