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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 King held a masked ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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. ball — a dance
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. rock — music
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. plane — a tool
  15. cap — a lid
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. lie — to recline
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. cap — a hat
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. rock — a stone
  23. ball — a great time
  24. cap — of ice

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