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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  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. fork — in a road
  2. cap — of ice
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. field — a subject
  7. cap — a lid
  8. field — farmland
  9. mug — a cup
  10. field — for sport
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mug — a face
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. suit — clothes
  23. fork — to eat with
  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