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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 124 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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cap — of ice
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. cap — a hat
  6. rash — a series
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. wind — moving air
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. wind — moving air
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. rash — hasty
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. cap — a lid

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