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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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. wind — moving air
  2. cap — a lid
  3. rock — music
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. chip — for betting
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. cap — of ice
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — to eat
  14. band — a ring
  15. wind — moving air
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. lie — to recline
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. rock — a stone
  21. band — a music group
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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