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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cell — in biology
  9. chest — a box
  10. ball — a dance
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. cap — of ice
  13. chest — of your body
  14. cap — a lid
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ball — a great time
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. cap — a hat
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. safe — a strongbox

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