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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. chip — for betting
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. object — an aim
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. cap — a lid
  7. foot — a measure
  8. chip — to eat
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. date — the fruit
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a hat
  22. object — to protest
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. object — a thing

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