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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cold — not warm
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cold — an illness
  11. lean — to bend
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bank — for money
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bank — for money
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. lean — thin
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cap — a hat

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