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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. race — a contest
  4. tube — a container
  5. capital — a city
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — humankind
  8. bore — to tire
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. capital — money
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. cap — a lid
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cap — of ice
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. cap — a hat
  20. bore — to drill
  21. scale — in music
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. scale — size or range

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