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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 mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cap — a hat
  4. chip — to eat
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. can — a tin
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. chip — for betting
  9. toast — bread
  10. object — a thing
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. object — an aim
  13. foot — a measure
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cap — of ice
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. can — a tin
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. can — to be able to
  21. cap — a lid
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. object — to protest

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