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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 116 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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. cap — a lid
  4. rest — a break
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bulb — for light
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. cap — of ice
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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