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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bound — obliged
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bound — certain
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cell — a phone
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. bound — tied together
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. pound — a weight
  24. fork — a garden tool

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