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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 116 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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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. pitch — a sports field
  3. charge — electricity
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. cap — a hat
  7. charge — a price
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. charge — in control
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. cap — a lid
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. cap — of ice
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. wax — to grow
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pitch — completely
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wax — for sculpting

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