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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. lean — thin
  3. cap — of ice
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ball — a dance
  11. lean — to bend
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pass — a permit
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. cap — a lid
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. cap — a hat
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — goods
  24. pass — to succeed

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