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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. lean — thin
  6. content — the amount
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. capital — money
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stand — to bear
  17. content — happy
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. lean — to bend
  20. cap — of ice
  21. pitch — completely
  22. cap — a lid
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. capital — a city

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