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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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. wind — to turn a key
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. can — a tin
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — moving air
  12. cap — a lid
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. cap — a hat
  20. lie — to recline
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. can — a tin
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — the underground

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