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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fall — the season
  9. cap — a hat
  10. object — a thing
  11. mark — a grade
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. can — a tin
  15. mark — a trace
  16. object — an aim
  17. plane — a tool
  18. can — a tin
  19. object — to protest
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. cap — a lid
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. fall — to drop
  24. cap — of ice

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